Grand Sierra Resort owner Alex Meruelo announced plans Wednesday to build a $400 million sports and entertainment arena adjacent to his Reno hotel-casino, the initial phase of a potential $1 billion enhancement to the 150-acre site that includes other non-gaming amenities and potentially a new resort hotel tower.
The venue, named the Nevada Arena, will have a capacity of 10,600 and will be home to the Nevada men’s basketball team, but will also become a Northern Nevada venue for concerts and entertainment attractions.
Meruelo was joined at the announcement by Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve and UNR President Brian Sandoval.
As a sports arena, the venue would host approximately 16 to 18 Wolf Pack home games during the basketball season and would be UNR’s venue for ticket sales. Also, the new arena could be used for NCAA Basketball Tournament first-round games and small-conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, as well as other sporting events such as hockey games and larger prep sports tournaments.
The arena will be 300,000 square feet and include suites and hospitality clubs.
The new arena, which could be completed in time for the 2026 basketball season, would replace the 12,000-seat Lawlor Events Center on the UNR campus, which has been the home for Wolf Pack men’s basketball since 1983.
Photographer David Calvert contributed.
This story will be updated.
