As the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread across the United States at an alarming clip, the sports world has found itself impacted a great deal.
We already know three of North America’s biggest professional sports leagues have suspended operations. While to a lesser degree, the NFL has also made some adjustments.
This new piece of information from Las Vegas could add another layer to that. Vince Sapienza of Fox 5 in the desert metropolis first reported that a worker at the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Mortenson-McCarthy construction company in charge of erecting the stadium right off the Vegas strip has since released a statement indicating that they have followed CDC protocols of social distancing. Construction work has gone on as planned in areas of the site that were not in direct contact with the unnamed worker.
Construction on the stadium is scheduled to be completed by the end of July. Given the magnitude of this pandemic in the United States, there’s no telling if that will be delayed.
As for Nevada, Governor Steve Sisolak shuttered all non-essential businesses as of March 13. As someone who lives mere miles of the Vegas strip, I can attest that numerous construction jobs are going on as planned. Many of them were deemed essential by the state government. That obviously includes this stadium.
Though, if something were to change in the Clark County area as it relates to COVID-19, that itself could ultimately be impacted. It’s all about taking this one day at a time, as evidenced by the fact that there’s a chance Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season could also be delayed.
The Raiders officially relocated to Las Vegas from Oakland earlier this offseason. Whether they will be able to play in their new venue as scheduled starting in September remains to be seen.