Built to win: Vegas’ rise as a sports capital — Keystone’s 30th anniversary luncheon

By Kristen Kniep  

Nevada News and Views

Las Vegas isn’t just about casinos anymore; we’re a sports capital. That was the message at Keystone Corporation’s Annual Luncheon, held August 21 at DragonRidge Country Club in Henderson.

The event featured Marc Badain and John Penhollow (President of Business Operations for the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights) as the main speakers, with John Saccenti of ESPN Events moderating the discussion.

Badain is President of the MLB’s Athletics and former president of the NFL’s Raiders. Penhollow is President of Business Operations for the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights.

Together, they laid out how Vegas went from no major teams a decade ago to hosting the NFL, NHL, WNBA, Formula 1, and now Major League Baseball.

Baseball Stadium on the Way

The new ballpark for the soon-to-be Las Vegas A’s won’t just be another venue. Speakers remarked on it being more proof that Las Vegas is here to stay in big-league sports.

Marc Badain, who led the Raiders’ move to Vegas, stressed the economic upside: jobs, tourism, and investment.

The new stadium is being built on the land where the Tropicana was recently demolished. With 35 acres, only 9 acres is being used for the ballpark itself.

Badain said he isn’t at liberty to release the nitty-gritty details yet, but emphasized that the area will be home to much more than just the ballpark itself.

Badain is uniquely positioned for the role, having already overseen the Raiders’ move to Las Vegas and Allegiant Stadium — and now leading the A’s transition and ballpark project on the Strip.

Jill Dickman’s Pivotal Vote

Badain was also heavily involved with the construction of Allegiant Stadium and bringing the Raiders to Las Vegas. He recognized Assemblywoman Jill Dickman’s deciding vote to approve Allegiant Stadium.

He said, “Jill Dickman was the deciding vote to get the stadium built, and lost her job because of it.”

The room broke into applause. Without that vote, the Raiders — and everything that followed — might never have happened.

Knights and Raiders Deliver

Golden Knights president John Penhollow pointed to the team’s fast Stanley Cup victory, saying it gave Vegas an identity far beyond gaming.

Penhollow is still getting used to the Vegas scene. Badain and Saccenti playfully remarked on his choice to wear a tie to the event; with hundred degree heat and the nickname “Sin City’, Penhollow was encouraged to embrace a more casual look (and avoid heat exhaustion).

Badain also added that Allegiant Stadium put Vegas on the global map, hosting not only Raiders football but also the Super Bowl, major concerts and events like WWE’s Wrestlemania, and international soccer.

Sports and Entertainment Go Hand in Hand

John Saccenti closed by highlighting how sports and entertainment are blending in Las Vegas like nowhere else. Big events here aren’t just games — they’re shows with worldwide audiences.

With the A’s moving in and every major league now eyeing Las Vegas, the panelists agreed: the city isn’t just keeping up. It’s setting the pace.

The luncheon showed how far Las Vegas has come, and how bold decisions like Jill Dickman’s vote made it possible.

With football, hockey, and soon baseball, Las Vegas has cemented itself as America’s newest sports powerhouse.

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Born and raised in Las Vegas, Kristen Kniep is a budding journalist focused on underreported national stories and local events, offering readers a conservative perspective often missing from mainstream coverage. Driven more by curiosity than partisanship, she aims to highlight stories that matter but don’t always make the front page.