As the world’s entertainment capital, Las Vegas has many venues for music, sports, and shows. The number of arenas grows, too, as Vegas gains more sports teams and continues hosting the world’s biggest entertainers.
Each stadium or arena has its charms and challenges. We’re here to help you navigate them to get the most out of your event.
Allegiant Stadium
With 65,000 seats and state-of-the-art features, Allegiant Stadium is home to the Las Vegas Raiders and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebels college football home games. It hosted Super Bowl LVIII in 2024. It also has hosted stadium concerts, including Pink, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and Ed Sheeran’s +-=÷x Tour in 2023.
Upcoming events include Billy Joel & Sting in November 2024, George Strait in December 2024, and WrestleMania 41 in April 2025.
Navigating the roads on gamedays and parking at the stadium can be tricky, so many people choose to use rideshare or take one of the RTC shuttles to Allegiant. You can buy a pass for the shuttle for $4.00 up to 7 days in advance. They operate for both Raiders and UNLV football games. Luxor, Mandalay Bay, and Delano are all about 15 minutes walking distance if you prefer to park and walk.
Allegiant has all the classic stadium foods elevated in Vegas style. If you’re craving nachos, chicken tenders, fries, or hot dogs, don’t worry–you’ll have plenty of options.
About 30 local businesses and celebrity chefs have brought their take on stadium fare for you to enjoy. Allegiant’s food and beverage menu guides you through options, sections, and vendors to help you find the perfect game-day snack.
Premier Tip: If you’re a huge Raiders fan or want a behind-the-scenes look at the stadium, check out the Allegiant Stadium Tours. Visitors voted them the number one “Best Place to Take Visitors” and “Best Tour” during the Best of Las Vegas 2023 competition.
T-Mobile Arena
T-Mobile is one of the most versatile arenas in Las Vegas and is right in the heart of the Strip. Not only is it the home arena of the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team, it also hosts numerous concerts, UFC matches, and tournaments. It is also the host of the final rounds of the NBA’s In-Season tournament.
Its seating capacity varies based on the type of event (between 12,000 and 20,000), but it’s common for crowds to gather in the Toshiba Plaza outside the venue during events.
Preshows on the outdoor stages are often held before concerts and sporting events in the Plaza. Fans without tickets can watch games from the Plaza on the giant screen.
Previous performers include Barbra Streisand, Lady Gaga, and more. It hosts the iHeart Radio Music Festival every year and will host the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament in 2027 and the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament in 2028. This arena will also host Hans Zimmer Live this Fall.
If you’re visiting town or a local looking for a staycation on the Strip, New York-New York or Park MGM are the easiest hotels to walk to before or after a show. This also goes for parking, as T-Mobile Arena has several parking garages and allows you to purchase parking in advance.
Premier Tip: Purchasing parking in advance is often less expensive than the event rate they will charge on-site. However, many visitors park at New York-New York or Excalibur to easily exit after their event.
Food and Beverage
Vegas never does anything halfway, including food and beverages for events. Whether you want signature cocktails, ceviche, milkshakes, pub fare, vegetarian and vegan options, or classic arena food, the T-Mobile Arena has a vendor.
Their arena dining guide breaks down options based on the concourse (main or upper levels) so you can find the best choice closest to your section.
MGM Grand Garden Arena
The MGM Grand Garden Arena is the entertainment venue veteran of this list, hosting showstopping Vegas events for over 30 years. Barbra Streisand played the first concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on New Year’s Eve in 1993.
It was one of the main sporting arenas in Vegas until the T-Mobile Arena opened in 2016. It also hosted the 64th Grammy Awards in 2022 (the first time the Grammys were presented in Vegas) and has hosted the Latin Grammy Awards six times.
Upcoming Events and Info
The MGM Grand Garden Arena seats up to 17,000 people. It continues to hold concerts, UFC fights, major boxing matches, comedians, and other shows. Upcoming events include the “Players Era” – POWER College Basketball Tournament and concerts from Andrea Bocelli, Cody Johnson, and Lainey Wilson.
In 2025, the MGM Grand Garden Arena will host some of the College Basketball Crown games, along with the T-Mobile Arena, for the tournament’s inaugural season.
Parking
Pre-paid parking is available in the MGM Grand garage for Grand Garden Arena events, as well as events at the T-Mobile and Allegiant Stadium.
Premier Tip: Nevada locals can receive up to three hours of parking free if they scan their license when exiting the garage (except during special events).
Tickets
Like many venues, you can purchase tickets online on AXS.com and access them through the AXS app. However, the MGM Grand Garden Arena offers a unique add-on for events in the form of a souvenir ticket.
You can purchase it with your digital ticket by selecting “Souvenir ticket add-on” when checking out.
Thomas & Mack Center
Thomas & Mack Center is a multipurpose indoor arena on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) campus. This venue has been a considerable contributor to the local sports scene as it hosts UNLV basketball games, the National Finals Rodeo, and various other events such as the NBA Summer League. It opened in 1983 with a capacity of 18,700 to 19,500 (depending on the event).
The Thomas & Mack is about ten minutes from the Strip and about half a mile from the Harry Reid International Airport (not walkable from either). Parking prices are on an event-by-event basis.
Upcoming events include the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey “Greatest Show on Earth” and the 2024-25 UNLV men’s basketball season. You can also book the Thomas & Mack or the Cox Pavilion (discussed below) for your own events.
Sphere
Sphere at the Venetian Resort is Vegas’s newest music and entertainment arena. Opening in September 2023, the 18,600-seat venue’s first big event was a 40-show residency by U2.
Dead & Company played a handful of dates and Phish also played a 4-show residency earlier this year. If you watched the 2023 Formula 1 Las Vegas race, you might have caught sight of the Sphere on the course as the drivers raced through the arena’s exterior.
With a price tag of $2.3 billion, Sphere is the most expensive entertainment venue built in Las Vegas to date. The interior has the world’s largest LED screens while the Sphere has quickly become famous for its LED-wrapped exterior, adding another one-of-a-kind element to the Vegas skyline.
Upcoming events include a residency by the Eagles, who will play 20 shows from September 2024 to January 2025. The Sphere will again be a part of the Las Vegas Strip Circuit for the Formula 1 race in November 2024.
Additional Entertainment Arenas
Michelob ULTRA Arena
The 12,000-capacity arena has hosted plenty of entertainment. However, it’s probably most known for being the home of the best WNBA team ever, the Las Vegas Aces.
ULTRA has also welcomed world-class performers like Katy Perry and athletes to its arena floor. It also regularly hosted UFC fights in and major boxing matches in the past.
Check out this fall’s end-of-the-season tickets to the Las Vegas Aces or Iron Maiden.
Las Vegas Ballpark
If you’re looking for baseball in Sin City, the Las Vegas Ballpark is the home of the Las Vegas Aviators, the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.
The Las Vegas Ballpark is next to City National Arena – the practice venue for the Vegas Golden Knights. The Ballpark has plenty of free parking and is directly across from the Downtown Summerlin shopping and restaurant district as well as the Red Rock Resort & Spa. Both of these are great places to wander around and grab a bite to eat before heading to the game.
Premier Tip: Check out its community events, which are perfect for locals and visitors.
Cox Pavilion
Located on the UNLV campus, the Cox Pavilion is used for basketball games and other events. In addition to UNLV volleyball and women’s basketball, it hosts concerts, conventions, speakers, and martial arts events.
Upcoming events at the Pavilion include the 2024-25 Lady Rebel Basketball season and part of the 2024 National Finals Rodeo.
South Point Casino Arena and Equestrian Center
The South Point is another option for rodeo and equestrian fans in Vegas. They regularly host ticketed events and free events for the public. You can check out their entertainment page for more information.
Coming Soon: A’s Ballpark in Las Vegas
With the Oakland A’s moving to Las Vegas (fingers crossed!), Sin City is getting an MLB team for the first time. The A’s will call a brand new venue home when the Las Vegas Stadium potentially opens in 2028.
The stadium will sit in the middle of the Strip, about a mile from Allegiant Stadium and down the street from the T-Mobile Arena, on the site that the Tropicana Las Vegas once occupied. They are set to break ground on the project in April 2025.
