UFC Could Bring More Events to Las Vegas Now that New 20,000-Seat Arena is Underway

The UFC held seven events in Las Vegas in 2013, and already has held or scheduled a combined four events in the city by July 6 of this year. The future could hold even more events per year in Sin City for the world’s MMA juggernaut.

MGM Resorts International and Anschutz Entertainment Group held a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday for a new 20,000-seat, $375 million arena that is scheduled to open in the spring of 2016.

The arena may be used to lure a National Basketball Association or National Hockey League franchise to Las Vegas, but even if that doesn’t happen, the arena is expected to be a prosperous endeavor, playing host to several UFC and boxing events.

“No one is more pumped about this (new arena) than me and my team,” said UFC president Dana White, who was part of the groundbreaking ceremony alongside world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather.

“It’s a game-changer,” he said. “It’s important to put on a world-class show, and with the state of the art technology that will be available in this new arena, we can do that and make it a more exciting experience for the fans.”

Las Vegas is the UFC’s home base, and with the new state-of-the-art facility, don’t surprised if the promotion holds a few more parties in their own backyard once the arena opens for business.