It looks like they'll be getting their kicks from more than just gambling in 'The Biggest Little City in the World.'
The Boulevard Reno is a proposed $350 million mixed-use entertainment district that will include Nevada's first stadium built exclusively for soccer.
It will cover nearly 28 acres at the northeast corner of Kietzke Lane and Peckham Lane in Reno, redeveloping the site of an old car dealership and revamping a neighboring strip mall."
Outlined in a pre-planning application submitted to the city of Reno, the project aims to develop a vibrant, walkable destination that seamlessly integrates professional sports, dining, retail, entertainment, and hospitality.
It's reminiscent of the Grand Sierra Resort expansion in Reno that included a new basketball arena.
What Makes Boulevard Reno Potentially Unique?
The plans feature a seven-story hotel and a casino that spans more than 70,000 square feet, with over 38,000 square feet dedicated to gaming. But that's just the beginning; the project also includes:
6,000-seat soccer-specific stadium: Estimated at $80 million, this main component of the project is designed for a close-up fan experience, featuring suites and club seating.
Hotel, casino, and convention center: This seven-story building will house 301 rooms, a 71,210-square-foot casino, and a non-restricted gaming license. To accomplish this, the city's gaming overlay district will need to expand across Kietzke Lane.
Retail and dining village: Offering around 55,000 square feet of space, this area will include two restaurants, two bars, three retail spaces, and a team store centered around a 37,000-square-foot plaza named "Electric Avenue," open day and night for events.
Other amenities: These include a theater, a five-level parking garage with over 1,200 spots, and more open spaces.
The casino and stadium would be physically connected in a walkable “destination” development on the former car dealership/strip mall site.
The overall development is expected to create 850–950 jobs and increase tax revenues, transforming underused commercial land into a valuable community space.
What Team Will Play at The Boulevard Reno?
The stadium is planned to host Reno Pro Soccer, a new professional men's soccer team in the USL Championship, starting in the 2027 season.
The franchise was awarded in October 2025, with key leaders including CEO Wendy Damonte, principal owner Todd Davis, and former U.S. international defender John Doyle. The team is building a community-focused approach and invites local input while accepting season ticket deposits.
This marks the return of professional soccer to Northern Nevada following the disbanding of Reno 1868 FC during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Not the First Soccer Stadium with a Casino… But
This level of on-site, full-scale casino integration with a soccer-specific stadium is rare, if not unprecedented, in the U.S., especially outside tribal lands or major resort districts like Las Vegas. Local coverage has described the project as ambitious and a “first-of-its-kind” for Northern Nevada, particularly as the area's first soccer-specific stadium with a hospitality/gaming component.
While Boulevard Reno is not the first soccer stadium to feature a casino element, it represents one of the most integrated examples in the country—especially for a purpose-built soccer-specific stadium with a full hotel-casino complex as part of the same mixed-use development.
Several soccer venues have casino connections, though usually through naming rights, sponsorships, or nearby partnerships, rather than having a casino physically inside or directly attached to the stadium.
Casino Arizona Field (Phoenix Rising FC, USL Championship, 2017–2020): Named after Casino Arizona (a major tribal casino), this was a sponsorship/naming rights deal, not an integrated casino. The modest stadium (about 6,200 seats) was located near the casino, but no gaming floor was part of the complex.
Allianz Field (Minnesota United FC, MLS): Features the Grand Casino Brew Hall—a branded bar/lounge area with casino-themed elements, food, and drinks. This is a sponsorship activation rather than a full casino.
Other MLS/NASL-level examples involve sponsorships (e.g., Pechanga, Sycuan, or Desert Diamond casinos) or naming rights, but no full casino operations are embedded within the stadiums. While casinos and soccer have loose ties in Europe and elsewhere, often through betting sponsors, physical integration is rare due to strict regulations in many countries.
Closer Integrated Cases
A planned Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Queens, New York, will sit next to the new Etihad Park (NYCFC’s upcoming 25,000-seat soccer-specific stadium), creating a combined sports-gaming-entertainment district. This is similar in concept to Boulevard Reno, though not within the same building footprint.
Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia is close to the Philadelphia Stadium District’s NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL venues, thereby turning the area into a sports and gaming hub, but it is not directly at a soccer stadium.
Timeline and Next Steps for The Boulevard Reno
A pre-planning application has been filed, and the project awaits necessary municipal and zoning approvals, such as a conditional use permit and review by the Reno Redevelopment Agency, potentially by June 2026.
Groundbreaking will have to happen soon, with the stadium and district slated to be ready for the 2027 USL season.
