$2.9bn Allegiant Stadium’s stunning transformation as ‘NRL taking over the NFL’

The NRL’s Las Vegas takeover is complete after the field officially arrived ahead of the historic season-opening double header at Allegiant Stadium.

The NRL’s season-opening trip to Vegas is ready to go after the grass was rolled out in Allegiant Stadium.

After months of talk and planning, the stadium that was recently been used for NFL’s Super Bowl has been transformed into the NRL mecca for the season-opening double header.

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While the players and fans have invaded Sin City all that was needed was for the $A2.9bn Allegiant Stadium to be turned into a rugby league field.

Although there’s nothing that can be done about the dimensions — Allegiant Stadium is 94.5m long by 63.1m wide, a fair bit smaller than the 100m by 68m standard NRL field — the look is right as the field was rolled out.

Allegiant Stadium uses state of the art technology to allow them to switch between different surfaces, including a tray hosting both grass and articifical turf.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas use turf with is stored under the stadium usually used by the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL.

The field is in. Picture Instagram @nrl

The NRL field has been being watered and given natural sunlight outside the stadium, before being brought into the stadium on Friday (Australian time).

The field is the same that was used for the Super Bowl and has been outside the stadium since the February 12 event, taking an hour to be relocated inside Allegiant Stadium.

“Being able to see the field in such magnificent condition, going into the stadium, it’s pretty historic, pretty special,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said via The Daily Telegraph.

“This has to be one of the best stadiums in the world, certainly one of the newest. They’ve just played the Super Bowl here and we’re about to open the NRL season here. It’s pretty special and a great moment for our sport.

“It was quite a poignant moment seeing the NRL paint being painted over the Super Bowl paint – the NRL taking over the NFL.”

The Vegas trip has already been a success for the NRL with thousands of Aussies and rugby league fans from around the world making the pilgrimage for the historic match.

The NRL has reportedly sold 40,000 tickets for the match already with around 5000 walk ins expected on the day.

Earlier this week, SEN’s Bryan Fletcher said he believed there would be upwards of 60,000 in the 65,000 capacity stadium.

“I was talking to a group, a group of Americans … there’s a rugby union (presence here), they are coming to this game, they were saying, ‘We obviously play rugby union but when we watch the NRL, we’re jealous because we want a game that flows’,” Fletcher said.

“This is coming from an American … they watch all the games.”

Crazy scenes in Vegas. Photo: by Grant Trouville

But regardless, the NRL is already taking it as a success, having been in the headlines for all the right reasons throughout the off-season with its audacious plan.

Speaking to Fox Sports News, V’landys said it had already done better than he envisioned.

“It’s exceeded my expectations,” V’landys said. “I thought we’d be doing small steps, but it’s more than small steps, it’s big steps.

“To see this many Australians here, it’s unbelievable.

“You always have concerns and always doubt yourself. But coming here tonight has absolutely alleviated any concerns.

“I just think, how big is this going to be in year two, three, four and five.”

V’landys said the move would be worth 10s of millions of dollars but that the advertising and publicity was worth 10s of millions of dollars itself.