Lights FC staying in Las Vegas. But not at Cashman Field
Lights FC owner Jose Bautista, in the wake of the sale of Cashman Center to national homebuilder Lennar, said Monday the club will play the remainder of the 2025 season and the whole 2026 campaign at Cashman Field before moving to a new venue.
Where that prospective stadium will be is still to be determined. Bautista said a number of sites are being considered.
“We have been working, as a team, already with city officials, county officials and even the state in some instances to try to find a new home,” Bautista said. “It was already in our plans to try and find a new venue that would lead us into the next stage in the future of the Las Vegas Lights in the community.”
The sale of Cashman Center accelerated the team’s timeline, Bautista said. But the timing may prove beneficial.
United Soccer League club owners voted unanimously Wednesday to begin a promotion and relegation system in 2027 with the launch of a prospective Division One league.
The USL has two tiers: The USL Championship, which the Lights are part of, and USL League One.
Adding a third tier offers the chance for expansion, as well as more revenue for the league.
“We don’t know where we’re going to end up yet, but we are definitely committed to the local community,” Bautista said. “For now, we’re just making Cashman the best that it can be.”
Bautista said he hopes a new venue will also attract international fans and provide another space for friendlies and other soccer tournaments.
Part of that comes from building a stadium that can create the kind of experience fans deserve, Bautista said.
“Cashman is an outdated venue. There’s no secret around it,” he said. “It’s in a part of town that’s a little rougher right now. Even though we’re proud to represent downtown Las Vegas, you want to have a venue that’s worthy of not only the local community, but also the visitors that come to that.”
Bautista, a former MLB slugger, became the Lights’ majority owner in January 2024. He’s had an eventful 14 months in charge.
The Lights made their first playoff appearance in franchise history last season and reached the Western Conference Finals before losing to the eventual champion Colorado Springs Switchbacks.
Coach Dennis Sanchez then left for New Mexico United in the offseason and the team hired Antonio Nocerino as his replacement.
Bautista’s next task is to find his club a new home.
“Even when you’re trying to do something and you’re already thinking in a certain way, going in a certain direction when you have other factors to push you to go faster, I don’t see it as a negative,” Bautista said. “This kind of holds my feet to the fire as an owner to do things well, but do them fast. I love a challenge, and I’m looking forward to this one.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
