![]() ![]() “My wife and I we’re up all night, we didn’t know what we were going to do. “It’s bittersweet, but mostly sweet as the Raiders won, because we’re sitting here in the shadow of Allegiant Stadium for the first NFL game in Las Vegas history,” James said as he packed his car up. Kenna James, Las Vegas resident, set the TV up at the stadium, as he and his wife are season ticket holders and wanted to watch the action at the stadium no matter what. ![]() The fans cheered each big play as the Raiders inched toward breaking in their new digs, in their new city, with a win.Īfter the Raiders nailed a field goal late in the fourth quarter to seal the win, the group of fans sprayed beer and tossed popcorn in the air, giving everyone in a 10-foot radius a beer bath. I’m about to be 32, and there’s nothing like rooting for a hometown team.”Īs the night wound down, the majority of the about 300 person crowd outside Allegiant Stadium huddled around a TV set up on the north end of the stadium with the Al Davis Memorial Torch looking over them. “We have Chucky (coach Jon Gruden), so we have the coach and he has everything in play,” Baladez said. Baladez said despite the Raiders falling behind early, he was never worried about the outcome. The Raiders overcame a 10-0 deficit Monday, but they dominated the rest of the game. I love everything the stadium was built for. We cater toward tourists, and we have to keep them happy so we can keep them coming in. ![]() “The bars opened at midnight, and the city is jamming. “It’s amazing what it brings to the town,” Baladez said. Robert Baladez is a lifelong Raiders fan from Las Vegas, and he’s excited to see what having an NFL team team can do for the city. The Raiders’ home opener came on the same day the bars were allowed to reopen, and there was a large contingent ready to celebrate both. “I grew up in New York and I’m a Giants fan, but I’m absolutely going to support the Raiders,” said Faughnan, who added that he’s lived in Las Vegas for 32 years. “It was tough, them coming out here, but being out here and kind of seeing what’s going on, the city really loves them,” he said.Īs soon as the clock ran out on the Raiders’ 34-24 victory to open Allegiant Stadium on Monday night, Kerry Faughnan cued up the jukebox at PT’s Gold in North Las Vegas to play Elvis Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas.”įaughnan wore a Boston Red Sox shirt and hat but was one of the most boisterous Raiders supporters among the crowd, which filled nearly every socially distant spot at the bar and tables. “Everything.”Īndrew Hernandez, 35, of San Jose, California, had long planned to visit Las Vegas for the home opener to show support for the team he has cheered for his whole life. “It was everything you could’ve asked for, man,” he said. The experience, he said, was “priceless.” He booked the trip back when the schedule was announced and knew he wasn’t going to be in the stadium regardless of the decision to play without fans. “I just wanted to be here, just for this historic night,” he said. James Sievers, 45, of Monroe, Louisiana, traveled to Las Vegas just for the game so he could experience the atmosphere. (Elizabeth Page Brumley / Las Vegas Review-Journal)Īs the game clock ticked closer to zero, the atmosphere inside the Mandalay Bay sportsbook was electric.Ī long field goal that sealed the game for the Raiders sent the crowd erupting into cheers, and the rowdiness continued as the clock turned to “final.” Jose Enciso, of Seattle, Wash., left, and Christopher Rodarte, of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, show their Raiders tattoos on the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas on Monday, Sept. ![]()
1 Comment
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |