Critics call Allegiant Stadium funding a handout; supporters highlight job creation boost
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The construction of Allegiant Stadium, a $2 billion project partially funded by $750 million in public bonds, has ignited a debate over the use of taxpayer money for sports arenas.
While some view the investment as a boost for job creation and tax revenue, others criticize it as a handout to wealthy team owners.
Andrew Woods from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’s Center for Business and Economic Research, said, “We don’t have a position on should you give them public money or not, that’s not our goal, but we do see an economic impact, there is a benefit to the economy that is different than other places in the country.”
The center’s analysis shows significant growth in employment and wages in the area surrounding Allegiant Stadium. “We’ve seen a lot of growth in terms of the number of employees and their wages, the number of employees is double what it was before Allegiant was built, as well as their wages have grown faster than the county average since the stadium was built,” Woods said.