An ownership group led by NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson isn’t the only one that has discussed Las Vegas NBA expansion with Gov. Joe Lombardo in recent weeks.
A number of groups interested in being part of the ownership of a potential team have contacted Lombardo following Johnson’s meeting with Nevada’s top political figure in February, a Lombardo spokesperson told the Review-Journal.
The subject of public funding that might go toward the building of an NBA-ready arena has not been brought up in those conversations, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson didn’t identify what other groups have spoken with Lombardo. Steve Hill, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority president and CEO, said in January there are three main groups vying for a franchise should one be made available. Those include Johnson’s MAGI group, Fenway Sports Group, which includes NBA star LeBron James, and a group that includes Golden Knights owner Bill Foley.
The increase in activity regarding expansion has occurred since NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in February that at the league meetings this month in New York the expansion process would likely take the next step.
Shortly after Silver’s comments, Johnson met with Lombardo and other civic leaders in February in Las Vegas to get the ball rolling on expansion talks. Johnson is scheduled to return to Las Vegas this week for further meetings.
The NBA Board of Governors meetings are set for March 24 and 25 in New York, where a source said a vote will occur on exploring expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle. For the initiative to move forward, 23 of 30 owners must vote in favor of the expansion exploratory process.
The NBA will then begin to speak with interested ownership groups from Las Vegas and Seattle and the civic leaders from each area to determine which group would get the chance to buy an expansion franchise.
The reported expansion fee is $7 billion to $10 billion, with the possibility of the awarding of the two expansion teams happening as soon as the July NBA Board of Governors meetings during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.
