The Las Vegas Raiders’ new home is currently under construction, and though they’re hopeful the stadium will be completed on time, a contingency plan has been implemented in case of delays.
The Raiders were slated to begin their new season in Sin City at Allegiant Stadium this fall. While a majority of the interior of the stadium and construction of the roof is scheduled to be completed in a few weeks, the coronavirus pandemic and Las Vegas stay-at-home orders may delay construction. If the stadium is not complete in time, the team could play their preseason games, as well as potentially some regular season games, at an alternate site.
Right now, the team is considering playing all four preseason games on the road – potentially in Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and San Diego. The three cities are between 5 and six hours from Vegas. Stadium options include SAlt Lake City’s Rice-Eccles Stadium, the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Phoenix’s Chase Field, and San Diego’s County Credit Union Stadium. Oakland, the team’s former home city, however, is not an option.
Last month, Allegiant Stadium announced that a worker at the construction site tested positive for coronavirus. The construction venture Mortenson/McCarthey said the project would not be delayed and the infected worker was not in close contact with any other project worker. While the surrounding vicinity was immediately shut down and sanitized, a second worker tested positive for the virus. The construction is still slated to continue as planned.