There is much excitement now that the NFL owners voted 31-1 to move the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas after the 2018 season. But how does that move affect Pahrump?
The obvious answer is the Raiders fans in Pahrump.
Fans and sports bars in Pahrump are excited that the Raiders are moving next door.
John Bowditch is a big Raiders fan who lives in town.
“I have been a fan since their first Super Bowl,” he said. “Las Vegas needs a team like the Raiders. Come on, hockey and baseball, no one really cares about those. But football – I know lots of Raiders fans that will drive to Las Vegas to see the games.”
Then there is Dean Fifield, who is also a longtime Raiders fan.
“I have been a fan since George Blanda was playing,” Fifield said. “The Raiders’ following is strong. I have gone to quite a few of their games. I think it’s great that they are coming to Las Vegas and I am excited. Vegas needed a team. I would absolutely go to their games.”
Business impact
Besides the fans, there are some businesses that will capitalize on the Raider move.
Some of the businesses that the Raiders coming to Las Vegas would affect are the sports bars.
One of them is Draft Picks.
Restaurant Manager Pam Tobias of Draft Picks has been at this sports bar for 14 years. She’s not sure if the Raiders moving so close will help that business .
“I think it might hurt us because, during NASCAR, business is slow for they all go to the race,” she said. “I would go to the games too. I am a Dolphins fan, but I like watching any game. I never thought they would come. We will have more Raider games out here for the away games, though.”
Restaurant manager of Wings and Things Timothy Chezik said the Raiders would affect his bar a little and Las Vegas bars a lot.
“We plan on carrying all the NFL games so we will attract the Raiders fans during away games,” Chezik said. “We plan on giving away Raiders jerseys and hats to bring them to the bar.”
Paul Miller, the executive director of the Nye County Regional Economic Development Authority, said there may not be that many businesses coming to Pahrump because of the Raiders, but the area should see some more home sales.
“We should see a surge in population,” he said. “There will be home sales to the people who get jobs with the Raiders who want to live in a rural setting and we will see the fallout in terms of home building too and that is more jobs out here.”
Hof: sports brothel
The Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce couldn’t add anything to the business list, and there was only one other businessman that would benefit from the move in Pahrump and that was Dennis Hof.
In a news release on Tuesday, Hof announced plans to build a new brothel that will debut with the opening of the new stadium in 2020.
“I’ve had a license for a seventh brothel near Las Vegas for some time now, but I was waiting for the right moment to launch another house of debauchery,” Hof said in a news release. “The Raiders coming to Vegas will mean big business for me, so my next sex den will honor the men in black and their Raider Nation. My seventh sex place will be called the ‘Pirate’s Booty Sports Brothel,’ and it will be the first brothel entirely dedicated to athletes” and their fans.
Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com