BASEBALL
The
Las Vegas 51s
, a class AAA team affiliated to the San Diego Padres, have in recent years repeatedly triumphed in the Pacific Coast League. They recently changed their name from the Las Vegas Stars, in honor of Nevada's legendary Area 51, and play around seventy home games between April and Labor Day each year at Cashman Field, 850 Las Vegas Blvd N (tel 386-7200,
). Admission prices start at $4.
BOXING
In the last 25 years, Las Vegas has taken over from New York as the world capital of
boxing
. A heavyweight title fight brings so many high-rollers into town that the major casinos will pay almost any purse to the boxers concerned (upwards of $20 million per in some cases), and they're still doing so despite fiascos like the infamous ear-biting bout between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.
The three principal players have long been
Caesars Palace
, which for big fights erects an arena in its back lot capable of holding up to 30,000 people; the
MGM Grand
, with its 15,000-seat Garden; and the
Mirage. Mandalay Bay
has ventured into hosting championship boxing as well, and some fights also take place at the University's Thomas & Mack Center, 4505 S Maryland Parkway (tel 895-3761). Ticket prices depend completely on demand; the cheapest seats for a welterweight fight can be as little as $50, but for Mike Tyson they're more likely to range between $500 and $2500.
It was just after a Mike Tyson fight at the
MGM Grand
that rap star Tupac Shakur was shot, on September 7, 1996. He died four days later.
In addition, the
Orleans
, 4500 W Tropicana Ave (tel 365-7570), stages Friday-night boxing roughly once a month in its Mardi Gras ballroom, featuring three men's bouts and one women's, with tickets priced at $15 to $40.
COLLEGE SPORTS
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, plays its home
basketball
games at the Thomas & Mack Center, 4505 S Maryland Parkway (tel 895-3295), from November to May, and home
football
games at Sam Boyd Silver Bowl Stadium, Boulder Hwy (tel 895-3900), between September and December.
