Thats because Nevadas tourism paradise has established itself as the entertainment capital of the world.
But what if you were to be told Las Vegas' major investment in sports and sports entertainment over the past few years has further enhanced its reputation?
Daily Star Online visited Las Vegas for its second Ultimate Sports Weekend to find out why the city should be a must-visit for any sports fan.
ACTION: The Las Vegas Golden Knights ice hockey team (Pic: LVGK)
WOW: The visually stunning T-Mobile Arena – home to the Golden Knights and UFC (Pic: NC)
Las Vegas Golden Knights ice hockey team
Ice hockey is massive in the US but an untapped sport t for UK audiences. Unless you go looking for it, its rarely featured on our screens while our own version of the sport could be bigger.
This is why anyone travelling from Britain to Las Vegas needs to head to the T-Mobile Arena to witness the Las Vegas Golden Knights in action.
Its an experience unrivalled by any sport over this side of the pond and the Golden Knights are famed for their entertainment experience.
This factor is even more impressive considering the Knights are a new team, playing just their second NHL season following an unbelievable debut which saw them reach the Stanley Cup Finals in their inaugural year.
The MGM Park hotel on Las Vegas Blvd, where I stayed, is just a stones throw away from the visually stunning T-Mobile Arena, meaning a short walk from your hotel room brings you to the heart of the adrenaline-pumping action.
Right from the get go, the Golden Knights experience was an assault on the senses – and that was just the pre-game entertainment.
The teams support is out of this world. If it wasnt the neon drummers providing a deafening heartbeat of support, it was the Golden Knights mascot – cladded in full knight costume – drumming up support by banging a sword on his metal armour.
The Knights have made a name for themselves with their overhanging scoreboard entertainment, entwining meme-style videos with jibes to the opposition.
Finding themselves entering overtime with the scores tied at 5-5 versus the Florida Panthers, Al Pacinos famous motivational speech in Any Given Sunday was played out on the screens.
You couldnt helped feel overwhelmed by it all and, amazingly, it spurred on the home side to a 6-5 penalty shootout win!
Seeing is truly believing.
CONSTRUCTION: Work will be completed on the new Las Vegas Stadium in 2020 (Pic: GETTY)
DAZZLING: Here's why Brits need to visit the new sporting capital of the world (Pic: GETTY/NASCAR/NHL)
Las Vegas Raiders NFL team
One must do visit for any sports fan visiting Las Vegas is taking a trip to the Las Vegas Raiders Preview Centre.
Located on S Las Vegas Blvd not far from McCarran International, it details the rich history of the famous Raiders NFL team.
With its pirate logo, the Raiders are one of the most recognisable sports brands in the world thanks to its association with hip-hop and urban streetwear.
But arent the Raiders based in Oakland?
The Raiders are making the move to Nevada in 2020 with the construction of a $1.8billion mega stadium in Paradise, Nevada, and its big news for Las Vegas.
They will become the citys first NFL team and its hoped the stadium will play host to a other sporting and entertainment possibilities.
We were taken around the preview centre by the hugely knowledgable and enthusiastic Brandon Doll.
Not only were were shown an in-depth history into the origins of the Raiders brand to its hugely promising future, we were given an exclusive glimpse of what the new Las Vegas Stadium experience will be through models and seating plans, as well as what it would be like to watch the action from one of its sought after boxes using digital stadium technology.
The 65,000 all-seater stadium, which is already visible from the Las Vegas strip, will feature an eternal flame on one side of the stadium in honour of the teams founder Al Davis with a huge window overseeing the iconic Las Vegas lights.
These design quirks will make it one of the worlds most breathtaking stadiums.
COMPETITIVE: Las Vegas Lights FC owner Brett Lashbrook at Cashman Field (Pic: DAILY STAR ONLINE)
Las Vegas Lights FC
Located at Cashman Field in Downtown, the Las Vegas Lights are further out than the action – but a visit to this new and growing football team is a must visit.
Theyre now in their second season after making their debut in the United Soccer League in 2018 and boast former USA national team forward Eric Wynalda as the teams first team coach.
They even had the former golden boy of American soccer in their ranks last year in the form of Freddy Adu.
We were given an access all-areas tour of the Cashman Field by owner and general manager Brett Lashbrook.
After meeting him in the locker room, his passion to transform this team into one of Las Vegas sporting greats is evident as he explained why sports fans should visit the Cashman Field – a former baseball stadium now leased by Lashbrook and the team from the Las Vegas City Council.
Lashbrooks enthusiasm for the project is evident throughout the tour. He explains he keeps game tickets at a low price, allows drinking in the stands (something thats banned at UK football matches) and uses actual live llamas as walk-on mascots before matches.
The team also employs eye catching neon colours in their jerseys, fitting in with the Las Vegas Lights theme.
If all this doesnt entice a Brit football fan to visit Las Vegas for this experience, what will?
ENTHRALLING: Jones vs Smith at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Pic: GETTY)
UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)
Las Vegas is the home of UFC – one of the biggest and growing sports markets in the world.
Not only is the MMA promotions performance centre based there, its biggest fights are held at the $375million T-Mobile Arena – one of the worlds premier entertainment venues since opening in 2016 under MGM Resorts International.
Some of the sports biggest fights have been held there, including Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor (including the latters mega bout with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr and infamous bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov) and Amanda Nunes vs Rhonda Rousey.
We were treated to Jones vs Smith at UFC 235 – and there atmosphere at the 20,000 capacity venue was out of this world.
Nothing can prepare you for the venues sheer size once inside, with thousands cheering on the action in the Octagon.
Its vast food courts inside cater for all tastes while there are plenty of beer and soft drink stalls to keep you refreshed throughout the action.
FAST: NASCAR cars go around the track at more than 200mph (Pic: NASCAR)
NASCAR
Arguably the most authentic American experience in sport you will ever get, NASCAR sees dozens of racers put pedal to the metal to push their 200mph cars to the limit.
Las Vegas own Pennzoil 400 is held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway every year and is the first of two races in the city.
Fans with the need for speed will be blown away with this experience.
You will be treated to tribute acts pulling out rock anthems, a fly by from the United States Air Force and an introduction to its competitors – and thats just before the action.
The cars hurtle round the oval track at tremendous speeds so bring your noise cancellers.
As well as famous faces showing up in the paddock, which the general public can wonder around with the right credentials, NASCAR is an experience not to be missed.
One way to enhance your NASCAR day out is to make your way to the track in a helicopter thanks to LAs Vegas-based firm Maverick Helicopters.
ACTION: This year;s Rugby 7s tournament in Las Vegas was won by the USA (Pic: NC)
“We want to drive ambition with the goal of bringing people to Las Vegas”
Lance Evans from MGM ResortsRead More – Source
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