In response to New Mexico’s restrictions on gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of New Mexico’s football team made a bold move. They relocated to Henderson, Nevada after the state government refused to grant exceptions for sports, prompting the Lobos to shift their operations to Nevada for the season.
CBS Sports Network shared the team’s unusual living situation in Las Vegas through a tweet, highlighting their stay in a hotel 576 miles away from Albuquerque. The players dine in an abandoned casino and have transformed the casino ballroom into a makeshift weight room.
According to The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach, it costs around $70,000 per week to accommodate about 140 individuals, including players, coaching staff, and additional personnel at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa.
“The thing that you need to understand is that we didn’t just move the team,” Nunez shared with Auerbach. “We moved all the equipment. We moved all our trainers. We moved everything that we might possibly need for a week or two or more — it already seems like it’s going to be more. It’s been a lot. I’m not going to lie.”
Due to the time zone difference, players now start their days an hour earlier for practice before attending virtual classes, as reported by Auerbach.
