This is going to be a huge year in Las Vegas.
As of November, the last month for which records have been released, the city was on the verge of breaking its all-time records for both total visitors and convention goers, with well over 40 million people dropping in (the final numbers will look to be around 43 million). It’s going be tight, but if 2019 outshines 2018, it would be the fourth consecutive record-breaking year, and regardless, a great one for Las Vegas. But 2020 looks to be even better.
The biggest addition dramatically changing the city’s landscape is the new Allegiant Stadium, opening behind Mandalay Bay and home to the city’s first ever NFL team, the Raiders, which will kick off here this fall. A couple of years ago the debut of NHL play on the Strip brought a big surge of energy and made Las Vegas a magnet for traveling sports fans, and this will be even bigger, since the NFL is America’s favorite spectator sport. For many fans, if they are going to see their team on the road, even once, Vegas is the obvious choice, combining a big game with a great vacation.
The state-of-the-art domed stadium will also host the UNLV Rebels college football team and other major sports and entertainment events, including the Las Vegas Bowl beginning this year, which will feature a Pac-12 football opponent versus either a Big Ten or SEC opponent, as well as the 2020 and 2021 Pac-12 Football Championship Games.
But that’s just the most obvious highlight among many new openings, from shows to restaurants to casino hotels, along with a whole lot of major upgrades, expansions and renovations occurring city wide. Here’s a quick recap of the top 2020 changes coming to Las Vegas.