Irving city planners narrowly approved a proposal to change zoning to allow a hypothetical Las Vegas Sands Casino Resort on the former site of Texas Stadium. They made that decision despite opposition voiced by residents at a recent town hall meeting. However, moving the plan any further forward would require action by state legislators, who seem unlikely to authorize casino gaming this year or any time soon.
Sands has been pushing for years for Texas to allow the construction of destination casino resorts. However, Senate Republicans have been an immovable obstacle.
City leaders of Irving are exhibiting an enthusiastic attitude toward the possibility of casino complex located in this city, located north of Dallas. The 5-4 vote in favor is in contrast to many vocal citizens at a town hall meeting on March 14.
Las Vegas Sands Corp has pushed to rezone the large tract of land, of which it owns a portion currently. Many steps will need to be taken however, before a casino resort rests on the Irving site north of Dallas. It has threatened not to make any improvements to the property if denied the opportunity to conduct gambling.
Opposition from Irving residents failed to stop approval
The Irving Convention Center walls and ceilings echoed with calls against a casino in the community on the 14th. “I think the economic benefits will not outweigh the social harms. I think we can do better for Irving than Las Vegas,” said Irving resident Jacob Pouttu.
One attendee at the town hall was not very popular with the hundreds of people in the convention center. Senior Vice-President of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, Andy Abboud, made a presentation outlining his company’s plans for the parcel of land. He was greeted with boos after sharing that research shows nearly 60% of Texans support legalized gaming.
“I believe that people are very passionate about it,” Abboud said. He added that there are “people … morally opposed to gaming,” and that Las Vegas Sands Corporation is “never going to try to dissuade anyone who is morally opposed to gaming.”
Las Vegas Sands is owned by the Adelson family, which purchased the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks in 2023. The family is facing harsh criticism on other fronts after the team traded popular young star Luka Dončić earlier this season. The family made it clear when it bought the Mavs that it strongly supports the legalization of gaming and sports betting in Texas, despite staunch opposition from lawmakers who0n have served as a road block on the issue.
Rezoning would permit a possible future entertainment district
The nine-person Irving Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-4 on Monday, March 17 to rezone an 1,001-acre site that could be transformed into a sprawling entertainment district. The plans from Las Vegas Sands and the Adelson group include a new arena for the Mavericks, resort hotel, entertainment venue, conference center, shopping, as well as a possible Las Vegas Sands casino should Texas ever legalize that activity in the future.
A proposed 1,750-room hotel property would serve as a “destination resort,” according to plans submitted to the city and revealed by Abboud at the town hall.
The Adelson group and Las Vegas Sands is covering many bases in efforts to develop in Irving: the company is reportedly plunging money into lobbying Texas lawmakers on behalf of legalized gaming. That presumably would also include sports betting. Texas is the second-largest state without legal sportsbooks. Las Vegas Sands, via its PAC called Texas Sands, donated a combined $250,000 to Gov. Greg Abbott and State Comptroller Glenn Hegar in 2024. Abbott has expressed support for legislation and debate on expanded gambling in his state.
Opposition to legal gambling has come from a cadre of Republican state politicians, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. A handful of well-placed GOP lawmakers have successfully thwarted efforts to bring the debate on legal Texas online casino and sports betting to the floor of the State Senate or House of Representatives.
