The NBA is reviewing finalist bids for a Las Vegas expansion team, with offers in the $12 billion to $13 billion range, according to reporting by Shams Charania of www.espn.com - TOP.
Three ownership groups remain in contention, and the league is expected to select the winning bid from among them: Nancy Walton Laurie and Bill Laurie; Steve Apostolopoulos and Marc Lasry; and Bill Foley and Jerry Colangelo.
The valuation range places the prospective franchise among the most expensive team sales in professional sports history, underscoring how much the league believes a Las Vegas market can command. For Southern Nevada, the decision would carry consequences beyond the basketball court, touching on the region's tourism economy, arena infrastructure, and national profile.
Each finalist pairing brings a distinct profile to the table. Nancy Walton Laurie and Bill Laurie are tied to one of the country's most prominent family fortunes. Steve Apostolopoulos and Marc Lasry combine an entrepreneur and a former NBA co-owner. Bill Foley and Jerry Colangelo pair a sports-and-hospitality executive with a Hall of Fame basketball executive.
No timeline for a final decision has been disclosed in the reporting. The league's review of the bids remains the central step before a winner is chosen.
