A new deck and views of the Las Vegas Strip are among some of the many improvements underway at the 32-year-old Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The home court of the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels and host of numerous events throughout the year, the Thomas & Mack Center is undergoing a $72.5 million renovation to make it a more viable venue for more events and to stave off competition from other Las Vegas arena projects.
The Thomas & Mack Center is getting new escalators, concessions, and a new 36,000-square-foot addition that includes a 2,500-square-foot observation deck with views of the Las Vegas Strip.
The upgrades include improved handicapper access and seating, and new flooring in the concourse area and new seating already have been installed. An expanded seating area for the handicapped reduces the arena’s total seating to about 18,000, which is down by 500 seats.
Slot-tax bonds, donations from the Thomas and Mack families, and a $12 million loan are paying for the improvements, which are to be completed in time for the final presidential debate scheduled at the Thomas & Mack Center in October 2016.
The center hosts about 150 events and 850,000 visitors every year, but has been aging and faces competition from the under-construction Las Vegas Arena near the Monte Carlo casino and other arena proposals, including one that might be located less than a mile west of the Thomas & Mack near the MGM Grand.
