The NBA’s expansion to Las Vegas could see a diamond built in the desert dust.Sin City hopes to be the future home of a basketball franchise, with The Association’s Board of Governors voting last month to explore the addition of new teams both there and in Seattle.The Las Vegas Diamond Arena is a proposed building for an NBA expansion teamLetizia AgencyA decision is expected by the end of the year, and Vegas mayor Shelley Berkley confirmed she’s all in on the project earlier this month.Now, a ‘leading contender’ to host any future NBA expansion team has emerged.Step forward, the Las Vegas Diamond Arena.Unique arena planned for Las Vegas NBA expansionDescribed as a ‘bold new iconic presence’ on the Vegas Strip, the diamond-shaped building will have a planned capacity of 21,212 seats, and feature a 100,000-square-foot ground-level plaza, with 140,000 square feet of team and broadcast facilities beyond that.The arena would also boast over 18,000 parking spaces, and would be built on 11 acres located on the northeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Four Seasons Drive, within walking distance of over 20,000 hotel rooms.It would stand directly across from the Mandalay Bay resort. “This isn’t just another arena project — it’s a global stage for the NBA,” Tom Letizia, a spokesman for the Diamond Arena, said in a press release.“The league is looking for a long-term home in Las Vegas, and this site delivers everything needed to define the future.”According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the project would feature ‘several stakeholders’ from the land owners, which include Chetak Development Inc, an NBA ownership group and other partners.“The question isn’t whether Las Vegas is ready for the NBA — the NHL and NFL have already proven that,” Letizia added.The Diamond Arena would be built close to the Mandalay Bay resort in VegasLetizia Agency“The question is which arena provides the league with the best long-term platform.“We believe the Diamond Arena clearly stands apart.”There is currently no projected timeline when the arena could be built, or the price of the project, as it’s contingent on the NBA awarding Las Vegas an expansion franchise.Earlier this month, it was reported that Sin City is out to cement its status as a global sports hub, with two state-of-the-art arenas planned on the world-famous Strip.One would be a 50,000-seat soccer stadium, and the other a basketball venue, much like the proposed Diamond Arena.What is the latest on NBA expansion talks?There has been little movement on the NBA’s expansion plans, following the initial announcement of exploring teams in Vegas and Seattle, which came just under a month ago.The NBA is exploring expansion teams in both Las Vegas and SeattleGettyESPN reported at the time that a bidding process is expected to generate offers in the $7-10billion range for each team, with a group led by basketball legend Magic Johnson said to be seriously interested in Vegas.He could add to his already impressive investment portfolio with an NBA team in Sin City.While there is plenty to be finalized before anything of the sort can happen, it’s hoped expansion teams could enter the league by the 2028-29 season.Should Vegas get a franchise, the Diamond Arena looks a worthy venue.Stay up to date with the latest from the NBA across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.