We’re exactly two weeks away from New Year’s Eve. (Have you made plans yet?) To be honest, 2026 is shaping up to be a relatively quiet year for Las Vegas. I’m not excited. So let’s skip ahead to 2028, a year that’s packed with big projects. Will they actually happen?
🚄 Brightline West
The long-promised all-electric high-speed rail between Las Vegas and Los Angeles Rancho Cucamonga was supposed to be ready in time for the 2028 SoCal Summer Olympics. Despite the hype of a ceremonial groundbreaking more than a year ago, Brightline has spent its time on environmental studies, contracts, and financing before laying what’s supposed to be 218 miles of track through the Mojave Desert.
- 🎱 Will it really happen in 2028? Not a chance. Will it happen at all? 🤷
⚾ The A’s Baseball Stadium
After the Las Vegas Strip got rid of the Tropicana, a baseball stadium for a team nobody likes is now under construction on the lot. If you believe A’s officials, work is on schedule and already close to 15 percent done 🤔 The financing is still in “wait and see” mode, while the A’s continue to play at a minor league field in Sacramento (instead of building some local goodwill by doing the same thing here).
- 🎱 Will it really happen in 2028? I think the local tourism industry and A’s owner John Fisher will somehow will this thing to happen, even if it gets messy.
🧑🎨 The Las Vegas Museum of Art
Las Vegas has an art scene, but not a big-time, full-fledged accredited art museum. That’s changing with the Las Vegas Museum of Art, set for construction at Symphony Park. Once complete, it will have two floors of exhibition space covering 90,000 square feet, plus a sculpture park.
- 🎱 Will it really happen in 2028? Count on it. The philanthropy and art crowd has a lot of pull in Las Vegas — and the city is heavily invested in the success of Symphony Park, which also includes the Smith Center. Plus, nobody wants to drop the ball on the late Elaine Wynn’s final project.
🗳️ Nevada: First In the Nation Primary?
Get ready 🫣 America will have another presidential election in 2028 — and the first to not have Trump on the ballot since 2012 (assuming the Constitution is still functioning as usual). The Democrats have been shuffling around the primary calendar and Nevada is a strong contender to be moved to the head of the line, thanks to its diverse electorate and dropping the old, complicated caucus system.
- 🎱 Will it really happen in 2028? Maybe. If it does, it will come with an asterisk. New Hampshire has a built-in state law to be the first primary, which meant its delegates didn’t count in 2024 when the DNC made South Carolina first.
🏀 NCAA Final Four
March Madness is the busiest time of the year for sportsbooks — and Las Vegas will go all the way in 2028, hosting the Final Four for the first time at Allegiant Stadium.
- 🎱 Will it really happen in 2028? Yep. Signed, sealed, and delivered.
After looking ahead, let’s look behind and review the top 10 Las Vegas news stories of 2025. [Hey Las Vegas ✍️]
