Las Vegas is one of the largest cities in the United States without a major professional sports league team - if it does not get a team before the 2010 U.S. census it will likely be confirmed as the largest metropolitan area without one. There are many sports activities in the area. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas fields Division I athletic teams and the NCAA football Las Vegas Bowl is in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS), just north of the city hosts NASCAR and other automotive events. Visitors and residents also have many options for boating, golf, hiking, rock climbing. The city has many parks which offer a wide range of activities.

Las Vegas hosts several non-major-league sports teams: the Las Vegas Gladiators of the Arena Football League, the Las Vegas 51s, a Los Angeles Dodgers farm club in the AAA Pacific Coast League, the Las Vegas Stars of the International Basketball League and the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL hockey league. Due in part to the perceived risks of professional sports in a city with legal sports betting, none of the major professional sports leagues have ever had a team in Las Vegas, with the notable exception of the Utah Jazz' half-season schedule at the Thomas and Mack Center in 1983-84. The possibility of relocating a professional major-league team to Las Vegas is an ongoing discussion that city leaders are having with several sports leagues.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Rebels (the name Runnin' Rebels is used only by the men's basketball program) host Mountain West Conference events on the UNLV campus and eight miles (13 km) east, at Sam Boyd Stadium. Indoor sporting events are held at the Thomas & Mack Center complex, both at the main arena and at Cox Pavilion, a smaller arena attached to the complex.

The NBA awarded the 2007 NBA All-Star Game to Las Vegas. This was the first all-star game to be played in a non-NBA city. As part of the conditions the NBA set for holding the game in Las Vegas, Nevada sports books agreed not to take bets on the game.

Las Vegas hosts the Las Vegas Bowl, a college bowl game, around Christmas day.

In 2005-06, the city hosted ArenaBowl XIX and ArenaBowl XX at the Thomas & Mack Center. It was the AFL's first-ever neutral-site title game. After two years of underwhelming attendances (neither game was close to a sellout), ArenaBowl XXI will be held in New Orleans in 2007.

Current professional teams

Boxing

Las Vegas is also host to many professional boxing matches and has hosted many heavyweight boxing championship bouts.

Notable bouts

• The Battle of the Little Giants (1981)
• Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns (1981, 1989)
• Larry Holmes vs. Gerry Cooney (1982)
• The War (boxing) (1985)
• Chavez vs Taylor aka Thunder Meet Lightning(1990)
• Michael Carbajal vs. Humberto Gonzalez I (1993)
• The Bite Fight (1997)
• Fight of the Millennium (1999)
• Barrera versus Morales trilogy (2000, 2002, 2004)
• De La Hoya vs. Mayweather (2007)

Golf

Las Vegas hosts these pro tour events:

PGA Las Vegas Invitational
LPGA LPGA Takefuji Classic
PBA Senior Tour Las Vegas Open

Las Vegas Golf Courses
 

Motor sports

Las Vegas has become an internationally known motor racing locale having hosted the elite Formula One racers at Caesars Palace and the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) for Indy racers in the early "80's. Las Vegas was also the home of the famed "Mint 400" Desert Race from 1968-1987 run in the unforgiving Nevada desert outside Las Vegas. Nearly 100,000 spectators lined the 100 mile (160 km) loop to view the 500 plus off road racing vehicles. Sponsored by Del Webb's Mint Hotel and Casino, the event was the largest and richest event in the sport. The technical and safety inspection was held on famed Fremont Street and became one of the major must attend sporting events in Las Vegas history. The race ended when Del Webb organization sold the Mint Hotel to the adjacent Horseshoe owned by the legendary Binion gaming family.

Over the years, Vegas was the host for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The CanAm races 1966-68 were held at the old Stardust Raceway and were officially called the Stardust Grand Prix.

In July of 2006, the Las Vegas City Council approved a 2.44-mile, 14-turn, counterclockwise street circuit in the downtown area for a Champ Car event slated for April 6-8, 2007.

Las Vegas hosts these motor sports at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

• NASCAR Nextel Cup Series: UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400
• NASCAR Busch Series: Sam's Town 300
• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Las Vegas 350
• NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals (April)
• NHRA ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals (November)

Rodeo

Las Vegas hosts these Professional Rodeo events:

• BigHorn Rodeo
• PBR World Finals -- Built Ford Tough World Finals
• National Finals Rodeo -- Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
• Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

Las Vegas Marathon

The Las Vegas Marathon is one of the oldest marathons in the United States, having been run since 1967. The marathon was organized by Al Boka since 1983, who sold the marathon in 2005 to Devine Racing, a Chicago-based race organization company that is responsible for several other races, including the Los Angeles Marathon. Devine redubbed the race as "The New Las Vegas Marathon", and updated the course to include the Strip. Introduced on December 4, 2005, the new course marks one of the race occasions that the Strip is closed to traffic. Prior to that, the course had run on the old Los Angeles Highway, beginning in the community of Jean, Nevada, and ending inside Las Vegas proper (Sunset Park). Additionally in 2005, the date of the marathon was changed from January to December to help ensure better weather.
 

Vegas Discount Cards
Buy Vegas Area Maps
Find Vegas Hotels
Top Things To Do In Vegas
Vegas Travel Center

 

Houses For Sale In the Las Vegas Area - Search MLS Now - Your Next House at the Right Price