Bill Hornbuckle Says T Mobile Arena Likely Fits Las Vegas NBA Plan
Bill Hornbuckle said t mobile arena will likely play some role if Las Vegas lands an NBA expansion team, putting the building back at the center of the city’s league push. MGM Resorts is already talking with multiple groups, and the timeline Hornbuckle described points to a possible 2028 start that could force a temporary solution before any new arena opens.
During MGM Resorts International’s first-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, Hornbuckle said he has signed three nondisclosure agreements tied to expansion talks and that the arena is part of the conversation for “short-term or long-term.” He added, “How could we not be? We’ve all seen the success in what it means to Las Vegas, where these sports teams come. T-Mobile is part of that conversation, whether it’s short-term or long-term. All roads lead to it for now, because the league has expressed interest to host a team as early as 2028.”
Hornbuckle’s expansion pitch
Hornbuckle also said, “We’ve been asked how we would position T-Mobile for any and all bidders, and we’re beginning to do that with our partner at AEG and Bill Foley.” He said, “We’re open to all commerce, and there has been extensive interest in Las Vegas.”
The interest is not limited to one path. Hornbuckle said MGM is in talks with multiple groups regarding an NBA expansion team in Southern Nevada, and he said the league has expressed interest in hosting a team as early as 2028. If Las Vegas is awarded a team and the NBA wants it in place by then, a new building would not be ready in time for the 2028-29 season.
Bill Foley and MAGI
One known ownership group includes Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley, who holds majority ownership of the Knights and minority ownership in T-Mobile Arena alongside AEG and MGM Resorts. Another is the MAGI group, led by Earvin “Magic” Johnson and focused on building a new NBA arena where a team could play.
Johnson and members of MAGI met with Gov. Joe Lombardo and other civic leaders in February to discuss NBA expansion. In late March, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league’s owners voted to officially explore relocation in Las Vegas and Seattle, and in March he said it was too soon to gauge whether T-Mobile would be a suitable home if an expansion franchise came to fruition.
Adam Silver’s arena review
Silver said then, “I think it will be part of our process, better understanding where T-Mobile stands, if they have any plans to make any changes, and probably most importantly, what an ownership group maybe thinking, about where the optimal place is to play in Las Vegas.” T-Mobile Arena just celebrated its 10th anniversary, and the building now sits inside a process that could shape where a future franchise starts and whether it needs a bridge venue before a permanent home is built.
The practical pressure point is the calendar. If the NBA awards Las Vegas a team later this year, the league would be trying to line up an arena plan while targeting 2028, which leaves little time for a new facility before opening night in 2028-29. That makes T-Mobile the clearest existing option in the room.
