Sports & Entertainment

Trusted legal and policy counsel for sports and entertainment

From professional sports teams to entertainers, this dynamic industry involves complex business enterprises that require sophisticated counsel. This increasingly global sector needs counsel focused on generating revenue and competing in the business world to succeed from the field to the stage.

Brownstein’s sports industry expertise includes government relations counsel for professional and collegiate sports at the federal and state level, involvement in major events like the Olympics and legal services for real estate transactions, joint ventures, antitrust, defamation and brand development. Our clients include sports teams, college conferences, auto racing organizations and golf entities. Notable projects include the Raiders and Athletics stadiums in Las Vegas, Mile High Stadium in Denver and the mixed-use development adjacent to Coors Field. Our comprehensive approach ensures clients' interests are well-represented in this complex industry.

Many well-known entertainment personalities rely on Brownstein for strategic legal advice on daily operations, major transactions and disputes. Our team, with expertise in transactional, tax, litigation, trademark and regulatory law, has decades of experience in the entertainment industry. We help clients navigate business complexities, from estate and tax planning to handling high-stakes defamation, intellectual property disputes and contract issues.

50 Golf Clubs: One Successful Transaction

Capitalizing on an opportunity to strengthen its position as The World Leader in Private Clubs™, ClubCorp sought to acquire Sequoia Golf’s stock and assets consisting of 30 owned, three leased and 17 managed properties. The challenge was that it had to be negotiated and closed in two months. A long-term client relationship with ClubCorp allowed Brownstein to ramp up quickly facilitating the equity purchase and managing the real estate aspects of the transaction. The deal, valued at roughly $265 million, successfully closed within the two-month timeframe increasing ClubCorp’s private club count from 150 to 209. Today, Brownstein continues its long-term representation providing legal counsel on a number of matters.

Bringing a Cutting-Edge Stadium to the Las Vegas Skyline

After years of excitement, the iconic Allegiant Stadium, a global events destination and home to the Las Vegas Raiders and the UNLV football team, opened its doors further solidifying Las Vegas as the ultimate entertainment destination. Brownstein was integral to making Allegiant Stadium’s opening happen, serving as Nevada counsel to the Las Vegas Stadium Authority. Our real estate team handled the leasing and development of this $1.97 billion, 65,000-seat enclosed stadium. As part of hosting a variety of sports and entertainment events, Allegiant Stadium is expected to generate $620 million annually and create 6,000 permanent jobs in southern Nevada. The Brownstein team also represented the City of Henderson in the sale and development of the Raiders’ team headquarters and practice facility.

Bringing Major League Baseball to the Las Vegas Strip

Las Vegas is one-step closer to adding another world class sports venue with the recent approval of lease, non-relocation, development and community benefit agreements. The new $1.75 billion Major League Baseball stadium will be home to the Athletics in 2028. As long-time Nevada counsel to the Las Vegas Stadium Authority, our Nevada Real Estate team played a vital role in helping Las Vegas realize its dream of becoming both an entertainment and sports destination. First, the team assisted with the leasing and development of Allegiant Stadium, home to the Las Vegas Raiders. Then, Brownstein helped the Stadium Authority navigate through a complex, 16-month process resulting in successful agreements to break ground on a new professional baseball stadium on the Las Vegas Strip in 2025.

The First Tribal Sports Book on Indian Land

Paving the way for new business ventures is where we thrive. This made our team the natural choice when one of the largest gaming companies in the world wanted to explore race and mobile sports betting opportunities on Indian land. Our interdisciplinary team of American Indian, corporate and gaming law attorneys conceptualized a completely novel idea at the time—negotiating a contract for the first tribal sports book on Indian lands. It turned into a framework for navigating the federal and state jurisdiction over gaming in the mobile context that has been replicated dozens of times across partnerships with tribes. Our efforts also enable tribes to strategically engage in the sports betting marketplace and pursue new economic development opportunities and commercial enterprises.

Transforming Rockies’ West Lot into a Vibrant Mixed-Use Development

When the owner of the Colorado Rockies sought to develop what has been deemed one of “downtown Denver’s most ambitious construction projects in years,” Brownstein was tapped to turn this dream into a reality. McGregor Square, an award winning 659,000 square-foot mixed-use development, will be a year-round destination for fans, visitors and local residents. The Brownstein real estate team was instrumental in securing its home—a former parking lot adjacent to Coors Field— via a 99-year ground lease. McGregor Square houses a Colorado Rockies Hall of Fame facility, a full-service hotel, 234,000 square-feet of office space, 65,000 square-feet of retail space, 114 residential condominium units and an outdoor plaza with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology for concerts and entertainment.