MIAMI — As the College Football Playoff national championship game kicks off Monday at Hard Rock Stadium, a delegation from Las Vegas is taking notes. The LVCVA and the Las Vegas CFP Host Committee have been in South Florida all week, studying everything from transportation logistics to fan engagement, with an eye toward hosting the 2027 title game at Allegiant Stadium.
Steve Hill, CEO and president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said the contrast between Miami’s sprawling setup and Las Vegas’s compact infrastructure is stark. Hill noted it took him nearly an hour to drive from Hard Rock Stadium to his hotel due to traffic. In Las Vegas, many visitors will be able to walk from their hotel to Allegiant Stadium, he said.
“Vegas offers a lot to activate an event, and one is that we’re built as a platform for events,” Hill said Saturday at media day. “A lot of the people who are going to go to this game (in 2027) are going to be able to walk there from their hotel. If not, it’s very quick trip.”
This year’s CFP title game features Indiana against Miami. The Hoosiers have been practicing at Florida International University, a 20- to 35-minute drive from media headquarters in downtown Miami. The Hurricanes practiced on their own campus in Coral Gables. The fan zone and media days are at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 4 miles from team hotels but still a 20-minute drive due to traffic.
Hill said Las Vegas will aim for a small footprint for CFP events, similar to Super Bowl 58 in 2024, when the media center and fan fest were at Mandalay Bay, a short walk from Allegiant Stadium. “We are built as a host,” Hill said. “It is a stage that’s set in Las Vegas that is a part of what we have to offer.”
Officials from other host cities have shared insights with Hill, noting the ease of access for events like Formula One in Las Vegas compared to Miami. “We get those comments from folks here, but we also get them because they came for Formula One and they’ve seen the difference,” Hill said.
Work on the 2027 game begins immediately after Monday’s contest. CFP crews will pack up equipment and ship it to Las Vegas, where a warehouse has already been rented. The LVCVA will refine its plans throughout the year, focusing on transportation, security, marketing and public relations.
