Starting this fall, there will be some major changes to the Thomas & Mack Center, as work on the UNLV facility is winding down.
At a cost of $72.5 million, UNLV has made a significant overhaul the Thomas & Mack Center, which first opened in 1983 and has not received major enhancements since the late 1990’s Some of these changes will be evident during the gameday experience for Runnin’ Rebels basketball. More than 18,000 seats were replaced as part of an arena-wide project, while UNLV also made upgrades to the venue’s concourse and escalators.
Those upgrades seem to be aimed at improving egress and comfortability throughout the Thomas & Mack Center, but one change in particular is catching attention. UNLV has added the StripView Pavillion to the arena. A multipurpose event space, the addition includes a large glass wall and outdoor patio that provides a glimpse of the Strip and surrounding area.
While the upgrade should be evident during basketball games, StripView Pavillion and its more than 9,000 square feet of interior even space is believed to be crucial in helping the arena to attract additional events and conferences. More from the Las Vegas Sun:
The school hopes the new space, used primarily during basketball season for UNLV athletics, will allow promoters to grow their events within the venue.
“This space provides more flexibility and will suit a wide variety of event needs. It will also enhance all of our existing events and bring in new events that we could not have accommodated in the past,” said Michael Newcomb, executive director of the Thomas & Mack Center, Cox Pavilion and Sam Boyd Stadium.
UNLV is set to play an exhbition game at the Thomas & Mack Center on November 1, with the first regular season contest set for November 11.
