Las Vegas Summer Olympics? New Project Piques Our Interest

Author Shawn Tempesta

June 12th 2:57 PM

For many cities, hosting the Olympics is a financial boondoggle. But a Las Vegas Summer Olympics is already half way there.

A new $1.2 billion project aimed at elite athletes has us thinking to ourselves: why hasn’t there been a Las Vegas Summer Olympics? With the 2028 edition being held down Interstate 15 in Los Angeles, could the city make a great host for the massive international event? We think yes.

The project in question is the Z Athlete Village. It bills itself as a sports and wellness resort on steroids (although the athletes won’t be on steroids) that is less quaint and more sprawling, seemingly Olympics-ready venues for track and field, swimming and more. It is a huge undertaking (one that will involve major investment) and whether or not it will see the light of day has yet to be seen.

But the thought behind it, Las Vegas becoming a haven for Olympic Athletes, has us thinking Las Vegas Summer Olympics sooner rather than later.

Las Vegas Summer Olympics Is Already Half Way There

For most cities in the world, hosting an Olympics is a massive pain in the butt, and bigger pain in the bottom line. So often, expensive venues are built with no plan for after the event, leaving tattered buildings in its wake and ballooning budgets never being earned back.

However, Las Vegas seems more than prepared for the moment. Hotel rooms for hundreds of thousands of guests? We’ve got that. Several and plentiful venues for sporting events? More than enough. Major body of water? Lake Mead and Lake Las Vegas are right there. Mountainous terrain? Mount Charleston says hello.

When it comes to venues that the city would need, there are a couple that the proposed Z Athlete Village would check the boxes for. Track & Field Center? Dedicated and ready. State of the art aquatics center? Heck yeah, let’s do it. An Olympic Village for the athletes? Could absolutely be done.

Whether or not the Z Athlete Village gets off the ground (they are still making the call for investors and a location of the proposed development has yet to be announced), the plan to attract a Las Vegas Summer Olympics is attractive.

Track & Field and the Aquatics Center? Build it and have it ready for UNLV (and major US Olympic events) afterwards. The athletes village could be turned into condominiums after the event as well.

The city could also become the equivalent of Utah to Winter Olympics athletes. Year round, athletes are drawn to the area for all sorts of winter sports. Vegas could be that for Summer Olympics athletes.

We wish the project luck, and daydream about a potential future with the eyes of the world drawn to the Las Vegas Summer Olympics for weeks.

Shawn Tempesta is the co-host of Aimee+Shawn on 102.7 VGS in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is also an Emmy award nominated television host. As a content creator for 102.7 VGS, Shawn writes about current events, education, funny and trending stories.

Latest 2024 NFL Power Rankings

It’s certainly not too early to get into our expert 2024 NFL Power Rankings. Sure, it’s not quite football season yet, but the clock is ticking. The NFL’s pre-season kicks off in August, so we really just have about two months to go until we can start getting into the football action.

Latest 2024 NFL Power Rankings

Before we get into the early 2024 NFL Power Rankings, it’s worth noting that it’s been a very active offseason in the NFL. Believe it or not, the NFL replaced a quarter of its head coaches in 2024. I never would have imagined so many coaches getting the boot, but that’s football for you. The same goes for NFL and college football: If coaches can’t deliver the wins a few years into their time with the team, they’re usually out. Some of the coaches that got the boot were very successful, too, such as Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots. But, sports can be fickle, so with the Patriots’ dismal 2023 season, it wasn’t a big surprise that Belichick and the team parted ways at the end of the season. I’m actually more surprised that he hasn’t picked up a new gig yet. One that surprised me even more than Belichick was when the Seattle Seahawks let Pete Carroll go after so many successful seasons. But, with the NFL, there’s a lot of money at stake. A winning franchise can bring in big bucks for both the owner and the city. So, the musical chair of coaches is expected.

Now, onto my expert 2024 NFL Power Rankings. For these rankings, I took into account how these teams performed last year, as well as new additions they’ve made to their rosters during the offseason. Some teams should be notably stronger than they were last season, such as the Chicago Bears, who had the No. 1 draft pick this year in Caleb Williams and are banking on him to bring the goods as their new franchise quarterback. But, that said, I don’t have the Bears in my top 10. The following 2024 NFL Power Rankings show my picks for the top 10 teams going into the 2024 season. Also, I’m a sports podcaster and host a podcast called “The Squad with Anne Erickson.” Listen to my full interview with Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff here. If you’re a sports nut, I would love to hear from you and get your picks for the strongest teams going into the 2024 season. Reach out to me here. I seriously can’t wait for the new NFL season to start in September.

10. Cincinnati Bengals
Experts have so many differing opinions on the Bengals. Some think they’ll go to the Super Bowl this year. Some don’t think they’ll be in play at all. I’m somewhere in between. But, Joe Burrow is strong, so he could push them to victory.

(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
9. Green Bay Packers
As a Detroit Lions fan, it pains me to admit that the Green Bay Packers, once again, will be strong in 2024. They were strong last year. Jordan Love is on his way to being one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Watch out for these guys.

(Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
8. Dallas Cowboys
No offense to Dallas Cowboys fans, but they can be pretty annoying. But, I won’t let that cloud my thoughts on this year’s team. While the Cowboys haven’t spent much in the offseason, they’re still a strong team, and Dak Prescott is a strong quarterback. They’ll be a contender.

(Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
7. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans have rebuilt faster than any team I can remember. They were surprisingly stellar last season. I mean, experts thought they would be good, but they were better than good. C.J. Stroud is a superstar.

(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
6. Philadelphia Eagles
What happened to the Philadelphia Eagles last season? It was a dismal end to what started out as a strong season. I’m sure Eagles fans would like to forget about it. But, the Eagles have spent a lot in this offseason, and they’re determined to fly back.

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
5. Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are hot or cold. But, Josh Allen is a stellar quarterback, and he still has a lot to prove with this team. He’s great, but he hasn’t been able to lead the Bills to a Super Bowl yet. This could be his year.

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
4. Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, hands down. That’s not up for debate. But, the Ravens fell in the AFC championship game last season, and it was a surprise to many. Will Jackson bring the guys back to win it all? It’s a strong possibility.

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
3. San Francisco 49ers
I’ve noticed that some NFL experts have the 49ers as the best team in the league next year. I just don’t get it. Sure, Brock Purdy is a great quarterback. But, I don’t see this team really being the best in the league. They almost lost to the Lions in the NFC Championship game last season and ultimately made it to the Big Game but fell short. But, they are always solid.

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
2. Detroit Lions
Full discloser: I’m a Detroit Lions fan. As a Michigan native, I’m for all the Detroit teams, especially the Lions and Pistons. But, that’s not why I have them at No. 2 on my 2024 NFL Power Rankings tally. I really think they’re that good. The Lions have spent the most money in the NFL during the offseason, both to secure current talent, such as superstar quarterback Jared Goff, and add new talent. They also came within inches of making it to the Super Bowl last season. I think this is their year.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
1. Kansas City Chiefs
Will it be three in a row for the Kansas City Chiefs? Maybe. The guys have won two Super Bowls in a row now, and they’re still strong. They could do it again, but I think one of the teams on this roster will get in the way. Still, I believe they’re the strongest, most complete team going into the 2024 NFL season.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)