The league isn’t letting the postponement hamper its plans for the lavish host city. The stage will be on the water in front of the famous Bellagio fountains, creating one of the most extra stages the NFL has ever had.
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Here’s a look at how it’s turning out.
The NFL did make one “concession.” Although the league originally planned to ferry early picks out to the stage over the water, it instead settled for a temporary walkway. Frankly, that solution sounds more elegant.
While the NFL historically hasn’t skimped on its stages, this one is by far the most involved. Cleveland had the backdrop of Lake Erie, 2019 was in downtown Nashville, 2018 was actually inside AT&T Stadium, 2017 was in Philadelphia’s Logan Circle, and 2015 and 2016 were in Millennium Park in Chicago.
This is to say, the NFL likes to lean into the history or defining features of its draft’s host city, and Vegas will be no exception.
Here’s a few more shots of the Bellagio-set stage.
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Thursday will undoubtedly be a night to remember for those who are drafted, and the setting will be a big part of it. Even if the NFL didn’t get everything it wanted out of this year’s setup, it’s still the most ambitious draft stage it’s done to date.