MGM’s Jim Murren mum on details to bring NBA to Las Vegas

If Jim Murren has a plan to bring the NBA to Las Vegas, he isn’t revealing it. At least not yet.

Murren, the CEO of MGM Resorts International, told KNPR-FM’s State of Nevada program Thursday that he is working to bring an existing NBA team to play in T-Mobile Arena within the next five years.

“Over time, I believe we can convince the NBA to relocate a team here,” Murren said. “There are several NBA tams that are struggling right now.”

Time might be the key element, as there are no immediate plans for the NBA to expand or relocate any of its 30 teams. League spokesman Mike Bass said as much Wednesday in an email to the Review-Journal: “There are no NBA teams planning to relocate.”

But things can change. Expansion is a possibility after billionaire Chris Hansen announced Tuesday he was prepared to privately finance construction of an arena in Seattle. The building would be built with the expressed purpose of bringing the NBA back to the city after the SuperSonics were moved to Oklahoma City in 2008.

The league is attempting to finalize a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement with its players. Once the new CBA is in place, the NBA could look at expansion, not only in Seattle but also perhaps Las Vegas or internationally. The league has played regular-season games in Europe and Asia, and see those continents as opportunities to broaden the NBA brand worldwide.

Murren said having major league sports is important to raising the credibility of Las Vegas nationally.

“Bringing an NHL team is an important building block to elevating our credibility,” he said. “Bringing a possible NFL team is an even bigger building block.

“I’ve lived in Las Vegas for 18 years. The idea of having an NHL team, an NFL team, a pro soccer team in Major League Soccer and an NBA team, that was an impossible dream 18 years ago. Even 10 years ago. But we have the NHL here. We’re trying to bring the NFL here. I’m really proud of that.”

Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.