Board of Governors votes to explore NBA expansions to Las Vegas and Seattle

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas is one step closer to getting its own NBA team.

The NBA Board of Governors voted Wednesday morning to authorize the league to formally explore potential team expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle.

WATCH: Channel 13 covers what the possible NBA expansion means for Las Vegas

“Today’s vote reflects our Board’s interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle – two markets with a long history of support for NBA basketball,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.  “We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties.”

The vote allows the NBA to move forward with identifying potential ownership groups, arena plans and financial structures tied to adding new franchises.

The league brought in an outside investment firm to guide a full evaluation of ownership, arena plans, and long-term fit. A final decision is expected soon.

"We need to know by the end of this calendar year what it is we're doing," Silver said.

"Two markets… with deep basketball roots and deep connections to the NBA," Silver said.

Las Vegas has been building toward this moment for years through events like the NBA Summer League, USA Basketball, and the success of the Las Vegas Aces. The NBA was the first professional sports league to give the city a chance in 2007, a time when pro sports stayed far away.

"I used to joke… it was as if we had a franchise in Las Vegas already… it's become a major place of operation for the league," Silver said.

"I think Las Vegas has very much become the entertainment capital of the United States… and seemingly with an insatiable appetite for more sports," Silver said.

Multiple groups are expected to bid for a team, with the price tag estimated between $7 billion and $10 billion. Silver noted the market will ultimately decide the cost.

"I expect there will be significant interest from ownership groups…" Silver said.

Expected bidders include interest tied to Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley and NBA legend Magic Johnson.

"Magic Johnson… one of our greatest players ever… and also has had incredible success off the floor as well. I have a strong personal relationship with him, and he's beloved around the league," Silver said.

"There's been no handshakes on the side… no commitments… no promises to anyone… this is a completely transparent process," Silver said.

T-Mobile Arena is the clear front-runner to host a future team as an NBA-ready venue on the Las Vegas Strip. MGM Resorts International, which co-owns and operates the arena, stated it is ready for the league.

"It's only the first step, but it's a big step… T-Mobile Arena was built for basketball and hockey… and we would welcome the opportunity to work with the NBA," MGM Resorts International CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle said.

State leaders agree the city is prepared. Gov. Joe Lombardo said Las Vegas has already proven it can support professional sports, adding that an NBA team would bring jobs and economic growth.

If everything comes together, 2028 could be a defining year for Las Vegas sports. With the Athletics targeting a 2028 debut and the NBA looking at the same window, the city could soon join just 13 U.S. markets with all four major men's leagues.

WATCH| Raiders and Aces owner Mark Davis weighs in on potential NBA expansion in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is also set to host the NCAA Final Four in 2028, and it was announced today that the Super Bowl is likely returning in 2029. This marks the fastest a professional sports scene has grown in a U.S. city in the last 20-plus years.

How do locals feel about the possible expansion in Las Vegas?

Local residents and basketball fans are already expressing excitement about rooting for a hometown team.

"I actually played in the Philippines for about six years, so to have an NBA team out here is going to be awesome. I'm a big basketball fan, I'm a coach also I train kids for basketball, so I'm excited," one local resident said.

"I'm in hospitality, and all of the time, people are coming in, diverse fanbases. Sports is a natural fit, it's going to happen, and everyone is excited to see it," another resident said.

"For sure if my boys are playing, but if not, definitely cheering for Vegas," a fan said when asked if they would still cheer for their current favorite team.

What do former mayors Oscar Goodman and Carolyn Goodman think of a potential NBA team in Las Vegas?

Former Las Vegas Mayors Oscar Goodman and Carolyn Goodman marketed the city hard to NBA commissioners for decades. I sat down with both former mayors earlier today for their reaction to the exciting news.

The vision of professional basketball being successful in Las Vegas began with the Goodmans. Oscar Goodman said his dream was always to have professional sports, particularly an NBA team, after living through the Jerry Tarkanian days at UNLV.

You can watch the extended interview with Carolyn and Oscar Goodman here:

"I sure did, and I saw what it did for the community here. It galvanized us. People would all be wearing UNLV hats, whether they lived here or back in near the Hudson River in New York," Oscar Goodman said.

"We were America's team, and I envisioned that as the same way an NBA franchise would work in Las Vegas, being the town of glitz and glamour. A little bit of Sin City didn't bother me at all, and different than any other city in the world, and NBA would just have fit in here like a natural," Oscar Goodman said.

Carolyn Goodman also pushed for a team during her years as mayor and was texting with Silver yesterday about the potential expansion.

"He would go to a meeting in New Orleans. There we were, and we made sure that our seats were within vicinity of... him. But always just to keep our faces right there, that this is Vegas. We represent Vegas, we're here to remind you, don't forget Vegas, and they didn't, and so it's an exciting time," Carolyn Goodman said.

As the city moves closer to securing a franchise, Oscar Goodman is already looking ahead to the ultimate goal.

"And the next big event, I think, will be winning the NBA championship for the Las Vegas Oscars," Oscar Goodman said.

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