The Bali Hai golf course near McCarran International Airport has emerged as another potential candidate for a 65,000-seat stadium in Las Vegas.
Noted Las Vegas sports bettor Billy Walters owns the lease for the golf course, but is facing federal insider trading charges.
Selling the property’s lease could help him raise cash for his defense efforts, and it could provide a stadium site located south of the Las Vegas Strip.
The property would have partial restrictions due to its proximity to the airport. So does another potential site, a 42-acre parcel owned by UNLV on the north side of Tropicana Avenue across from the airport.
That site, though, was challenged by Southwest Airlines, which brings more passengers to Las Vegas than any other airline. Southwest said the UNLV site would cause traffic and passenger delays, and pose a potential safety risk to airport operations.
Las Vegas Sands and Majestic Realty are pushing for development of a local stadium and have pledged $150 million toward its construction and say they prefer the Bali Hai site.
NFL Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis says he wants to move his team to Las Vegas if a stadium is built and pledged $500 million toward its construction.
That still leaves a significant amount needed for the $1.4 billion estimated cost, which some are suggesting could come from an about $1 bump in the daily room tax.
The move also would require approval from 24 of 32 NFL team owners.
