Las Vegas gets second chance at hosting with 2022 NFL Draft

[April 24, 2020]    NEW YORK (Reuters) - The city of Las Vegas will get another shot at hosting the NFL Draft in 2022, Commissioner Roger Goodell announced on Thursday, after the widespread lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak forced the annual affair online in a "virtual" format.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell during a press conference before Super Bowl LIV at Hilton Downtown. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

"I'm pleased to announce that Las Vegas will host the 2022 NFL Draft, where we look forward to holding an even bigger and better event than we could have ever imagined this year," Goodell said in a written statement.

Intended as a kickoff party of sorts for the Las Vegas Raiders' inaugural season, the event was set to feature a flashy first-round presentation near the iconic Bellagio fountains.

The draft week will include a three-day NFL Draft Experience football festival, the league said, with Caesars Entertainment set to host the NFL Draft Main Stage.

Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill said while he was "disappointed" the hosting gig fell through this year, the city was "thrilled to bring the party back two years down the road.

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Louisiana State University's Joe Burrow with the first pick of the draft on Thursday, one of several quarterbacks taken early in the event.

(Reporting By Amy Tennery; Editing by Kim Coghill)

[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.