Raiders and Aces owner Mark Davis remained noncommittal about possibly joining a Las Vegas NBA expansion bid group during a recent sit-down interview with CNBC. "I've been careful about not talking about it, per se," Davis said. "I usually do things behind the scenes, more so than in front. So, I'll leave it at that. But I am excited that the NBA is coming. I'm excited (MLB) baseball is coming."
Davis has declined to address the topic on multiple occasions but has not ruled out involvement. His comments suggest a deal could be in the works, particularly regarding the bid group led by Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie and her husband, Bill Laurie. Silver Lake co-CEO Egon Durban, who owns 22 percent of the Raiders and holds a right of first refusal on the team, joined the Walton-Laurie group last month.
Davis praised Durban's business acumen and role in helping build the Raiders' infrastructure after the move from Oakland. "When I met Egon, I felt that he was one of the smartest people that I've come across in the business world and the connections and things of that nature," Davis said.
The NBA and investment bank PJT Partners are expected to select a winning bid soon, with Commissioner Adam Silver targeting a decision before the end of 2026. Competing Las Vegas groups include one led by Golden Knights owner Bill Foley and former Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, and another featuring former Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry and Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos. The expansion fee is expected to reach roughly $10 billion, plus $2 billion to $3 billion for a new arena, likely on the north Strip near Resorts World and Fontainebleau.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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