MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle chose his words carefully when asked about potential NBA expansion into Las Vegas. He tempered his comments by saying he was under three different non-disclosure agreements.
However, he said T-Mobile Arena (operated jointly by the company and entertainment giant AEG) “is part of that conversation, whether it’s short term or long term.”
Hornbuckle added he would prefer the 18,000-seat arena to become the permanent home of a Las Vegas-based NBA franchise, given that the arena is the only venue in Las Vegas that could host a team as early as 2028.
“We’re intimately involved in many of those conversations,” Hornbuckle said, adding that he expects the league to decide on teams in Las Vegas and Seattle within a year. He said that Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley, whose NHL team would share T-Mobile with an NBA franchise, is also involved in the talks.
