A Downtown Las Vegas casino recently formed a partnership with the first major professional sports team in Nevada.
Actually, just last week, the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Vegas Golden Knights and The D Las Vegas signed a six-year downtown sponsorship agreement. This deal positions The D as the official Downtown Las Vegas casino partner for the new NHL hockey team.
The specifics of what that involves are yet to be determined. However, the two groups assure that it will encompass a range of activities and events at the Nevada casino. This fall, The Golden Knights will commence their first NHL season.
Vegas Golden Knights events and activities
The D will host the following events and activities:
- A Fan Fest that takes place annually in the offseason
- Every Vegas Golden Knights game will have special watch parties.
- Appearances of players at The D
- A pop-up shop selling official merchandise located on the property.
City and NHL officials excited for hockey season
At a press conference last week at the Fremont Street Experience, the team and the casino disclosed some details. The event included appearances by D Las Vegas CEO Derek Stevens, Mayor Carolyn Goodman, Vegas Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz, and Coach Gerard Gallant.
Stevens expressed his hope that the Vegas Golden Knights will influence youth hockey.
As a native of Detroit, a city renowned for its hockey culture, I’ve been privileged to witness the significant contributions of Mike Ilitch with Little Caesars Arena and Pete Karmanos with Compuware AAA Hockey towards the community and youth sports. My ambition is to instill the same passion and commitment in Las Vegas.
Good news for the team and its city
Mayor Goodman was a strong supporter of bringing hockey to Las Vegas. Furthermore, she is confident that this partnership will be beneficial for the city, the casino, and the new NHL franchise in Las Vegas.
In my experience in Las Vegas, I’ve encountered numerous investors, yet none compare to Derek Stevens. His commitment to swiftly and passionately fulfill his commitments is commendable. His six-year contract with the Vegas Golden Knights is a great honor for our community. We’re extremely excited to have the team in our city.
Bubolz mentioned that he is considering Downtown Las Vegas as a location for building the fan base of the Vegas Golden Knights.
“He expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership with Derek and the D Las Vegas, saying, “Every time Derek talks about Downtown Las Vegas, my excitement for working with this part of the city keeps growing.”
Vegas’ first major professional sports team
Last June, the Vegas Golden Knights ownership group was granted the expansion franchise by the NHL. This marked the first time a major professional sports league initiated a team in Las Vegas. The team is set to commence play in the 2017-18 NHL season at the T-Mobile Arena, situated at the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip.
The roster for the Vegas Golden Knights is anticipated to be completed through free agency and an expansion draft. In fact, the draft will take place in Las Vegas this week. Subsequently, the inaugural season for the team will be part of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference of the league.
The D in Downtown Las Vegas
The D is a hotel and casino located on the eastern edge of the Fremont Street Experience, featuring 629 rooms. It also includes a 42,000-square-foot casino spread over two floors, equipped with over 1,000 slot machines and 22 table games. Additionally, it houses the William Hill Sports Book.
Indeed, the D was known as the Sundance Hotel from 1980 to 1987, and from 1987 to 2012, it was the Fitzgeralds Hotel and Casino. Once it was renamed the D, the property saw a massive renovation that cost $22 million and spanned the entire property.
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