Nevada men’s basketball is officially getting a new home. On Tuesday afternoon, the University of Nevada broke ground on a $1 billion expansion of the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, that includes a 10,000-seat, state-of-the-art arena set to open in 2027 as the Wolf Pack’s new home court.
“The GSR arena is a powerful example of what’s possible when our community comes together with purpose,” Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe said. “We’re proud to partner with the GSR and Alex Meruelo to bring this transformational project to life.”
The Nevada basketball team attended the groundbreaking event, and many of the players expressed their optimism that the new arena will help benefit the long-term success of the basketball program.
“I think it’s awesome,” said junior shooting guard Amire Robinson. “It’s definitely gonna be great for the community and provide a lot of jobs. The arena will also provide a lot more entertainment to bring people out and create a good camaraderie with everybody.”
The new arena figures to help Nevada draw some high-quality opponents and possibly host a multi-team event, which could strengthen the Wolf Pack’s NCAA Tournament resume.
“I think having a bigger venue will help bring in bigger teams and increase the competition level,” said Robinson. “You always want to play the best of the best and having a new venue will help with recruiting and getting a bid into March Madness.”
The Grand Sierra Resort arena is expected to provide a rambunctious atmosphere for Nevada basketball. Even though the capacity of 10,000 is smaller than Lawlor Events Center’s 12,000, redshirt sophomore forward Elijah Price said fan support will be greater than ever before.
“It’s great for the city of Reno,” said Price. “It’ll help bring in a lot more fans, even (though) the support here is already great. It’ll give Reno a brand-new level of excitement.”
With the new arena not opening for two years, some current players will never take the court there. Junior guard Chuck Bailey III said he wants to leave a legacy and help build a foundation for future Wolf Pack teams.
“I’m about to be a senior next year, but I think it’s exciting for the community,” said Bailey. “Coach always says it’s important to be able to help build up the foundation for Nevada men’s basketball and helping the newer guys get familiar with our style and our motivation to play hard.”
In July, the Grand Sierra Resort filed a construction permit with the city of Reno to break the $1 billion transformative project into separate phases. The first phase of the overall project, which costs $786 million, includes the 10,000-seat arena, a community ice rink and a 2,400-space parking garage, according to Nevada Sports Network. The owner of the resort, Alex Meruelo, is investing in this project because he believes in the future of Reno and the potential for Grand Sierra Resort to become a tourist destination.
“I love Reno, period,” said Meruelo. “This city deserves the best, and I will give them the best.”
One of the main concerns with the Grand Sierra Resort arena has been the impact on season ticket holders and whether the prices would rise substantially. During her speech, Rempe promised tickets would remain affordable for the average Wolf Pack Fan. At Lawlor Events Center, season tickets start at $160 for 17 games this season.
Meruelo said he hopes this new world-class arena will help bring a national championship to Reno. He acknowledged that investing nearly half a billion dollars into the project raises expectations but said the commitment reflects his belief in the program’s future.
“I promise to do my part,” said Meruelo. “I’ll give you the arena and you (coach Steve Alford) will be able to get the best players in the world.”
The arena will also aid in recruiting, allowing Nevada to attract top players from the transfer portal by offering a modern facility located near the airport. Meruelo plans to give Nevada men’s and women’s basketball $1 million to help fund players’ name, image and likeness deals. Most of the Nevada men’s and women’s basketball players posted NIL advertisements on their social media featuring the Grand Sierra Resort.
His son has even set the bar higher, telling him he wants to see Nevada go undefeated — a goal Meruelo believes the Grand Sierra Resort can help make possible.
“For our university, this GSR arena is transformational,” said UNR president Brian Sandoval. “A place where Wolf Pack magic will happen, family memories are made and our students will cheer their hearts out.”
