LV Lights remain homeless following closure of Cashman Field

The Las Vegas Lights FC of the United Soccer League are still searching for a new home following the closure of Cashman Field last month.

The team played at the decades-old downtown stadium from 2018 through this season and does not have a venue lined up when the USL season begins in March. Cashman Field closed after the Lights’ final game there in October and is set to be demolished to make way for a housing project by national homebuilder Lennar.

The team, owned by former Major League Baseball star Jose Bautista, has been trying to secure a new home for the past several years.

Lights spokesman Gabriel Palacio said the team is in advanced discussions regarding its next step but declined to identify a specific site under consideration.

“Our owner and chairman, José Bautista, is fully committed to continuing to build the best professional soccer team for Las Vegas, in Las Vegas,” Palacio said in an email. “We’re tremendously excited about the future of the sport in our city.”

The Lights held discussions this year with the Three Affiliated Tribes, which own land on the south Strip next to the under-construction Athletics ballpark, about creating a temporary home for the team.

“Earlier this year, the Three Affiliated Tribes reported that they were talking to the LV Lights to bring them to their property (old MGM fairgrounds) at Las Vegas Boulevard and Mandalay Bay Road temporarily while the Tribes assembled nearby parcels and submitted land-use plans for their more permanent resort/casino/arena project,” Clark County spokeswoman Jennifer Cooper said in an email. “We (the county) have not heard much more from the Tribes regarding this venture during the last few months.”

A request for comment Friday from the Three Affiliated Tribes was not immediately returned.

There have been no discussions about moving the Lights to Sam Boyd Stadium, which Clark County purchased from UNLV last year, Cooper said.

The Lights also approached UNLV about two years ago regarding the possibility of playing at the university’s on-campus Peter Johann Memorial Field, a person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter told the Review-Journal.

UNLV officials considered the proposal but ultimately declined because they did not believe the field could withstand additional use by the Lights on top of the schedules of the university’s men’s and women’s soccer teams, the source said.

When asked whether the city of Las Vegas was working with the Lights to help find a new home, city spokesman Jace Radke said the city is assisting the team but declined to provide specifics.

“Las Vegas Lights FC has been a great partner with the city of Las Vegas and has developed a strong fan base,” Radke said in an email. “The city has been working with the Lights throughout this transition process and looks to continue partnering with the organization when it announces a new home.”

The only other logical venue for the Lights may be Las Vegas Ballpark in Downtown Summerlin, which would require the team to share the facility with the Aviators, similar to the arrangement at Cashman Field when the Triple-A baseball team was known as the Las Vegas 51s.

Attempts this week to reach Seaport Entertainment Group, which owns Las Vegas Ballpark, regarding its interest in hosting the Lights were unsuccessful.

Contact Mick Akers at [email protected] or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.