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LAS VEGAS — The West Coast Conference basketball tournament is staying in Las Vegas.
In fact, it's not going anywhere at least until after 2019.
The WCC announced an extension to host its annual postseason college basketball tournaments at the arena owned by Boyd Gaming at The Orleans hotel and casino in Las Vegas. The new contract, which keeps the men's and women's basketball championships at its current locale from 2009-2019, comes as the old contract was expiring at the end of the season.
“I am very excited the West Coast Conference and Orleans Arena will be continuing our partnership through the 2019 championships,” WCC commissioner Lynn Holzman said in a statement. “Our vision is to create an event which serves as a celebration of the West Coast Conference, its traditions and values while our student-athletes are on a national stage competing for a berth in the NCAA Championship.”
Of course, the new contract isn't without a few additions. The arena will add a new high-definition video board hanging from the center of the court for the tournament, as well as additional LED lighting and three-sided shot clocks viewable from each seat.
Multiple reports placed the WCC in discussions to move away from the 9,500-capacity arena and accompanying 1,885 rooms. The Pac 12 is set to move from the MGM Grand Garden Arena into the new T-Mobile Arena on The Strip, and the WCC could have filled the vacancy a week after the conference traditionally decides the automatic bid for the NCAA Tournament.
But the league will stay in its current spot for three more years. In conjunction with the extension, Las Vegas Events also announced it will "continue its support" of the WCC tournament.
"Las Vegas is committed to hosting high-profile championship events each year, and the extension with the West Coast Conference through 2019 fulfills that vision,” said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events, in a statement. "The West Coast Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships bring both great energy and enthusiastic fans to our city. Through this partnership, Las Vegas will continue to work with the WCC to create a unique atmosphere for fans, while providing an outstanding venue for student-athletes to pursue excellence on the court.”
