Yasmina Chavez
Members of the Central Valley Raiders Booster Club react at Chanclas Cantina during the Raiders’ home game against the Ravens on Monday, September 13, 2021. Chanclas and several other pubs in the Las Vegas Valley serve as a hangout for fans when the Raiders play.
Friday, September 24, 2021 | 2 a.m
A group of Raiders fans at this central Las Vegas bar sat on the edge of their seats as the team moved the ball down.
And when the Raiders finally scored a touchdown, everyone at Chanclas Cantina jumped up, hugged and high-five to celebrate the Raiders’ 2-0 start to the season.
These fans, even though they weren’t at the stadium, lived and died in Chanclas for years with every Raiders game.
While not everyone can participate in a Raiders game – at home or on the go – there are numerous spectator parties across town. Some like Chanclas were long-time raiders hangouts even before the team moved here. Others are now hugging the home team.
Tucked away in the Thunderbird Boutique Hotel complex on Las Vegas Boulevard South between Strat and Fremont Streets, Chanclas is a rare place to find a customer without a Raiders jersey during a game.
Eddie and Megan Cerda opened the original Chanclas bar near Desert Inn Road and Pecos Road about three years ago. It quickly became a Raiders fan hangout. For reasons of space, the Cerdas moved the bar to the Thunderbird in March.
Their part of the Raider Nation moved right with them.
“This is our home away from home,” said Art Perez, president of the Raiders of the Central Valley booster club in Fresno, California. “The food here is great and Eddie and Megan really take care of us.”
As with most Raiders games, Perez and nearly two dozen members of the club watched last week’s game from a small VIP area in the bar.
The six hour drive from Fresno is a small price to pay for Perez and his wife to be with their favorite fan group, to see their favorite team in the team’s new hometown.
Perez, a former season ticket holder when the Raiders played in Oakland, said he couldn’t afford season tickets to the team’s $ 2 billion football and entertainment palace in Las Vegas.
“I’m not going to lie, I was a little upset when the team left Oakland,” said Perez. “But I’m a die-hard Raider fan. I will support the team wherever it is. Here in Las Vegas, I can’t believe how many Raider signs and billboards we saw in town. The logo is everywhere. It’s amazing to see that. “
In Chanclas, as the first half of the game ended on September 13, fans began to sense that the Raiders might make a comeback.
Las Vegas Raiders fan Doug Price said he had a ticket to the season opener against Baltimore two weeks ago, although he decided to watch from Chanclas because the people he wanted to attend with had changed their plans at the last minute .
When he got to the bar, a waitress greeted him by name and handed him a Miller Lite.
“I figured I’d come over to see it instead of going with people I didn’t know,” Price said. “The people here are like family. The food is good and the DJ is a friend of mine. Raiders fans are very loyal and have a great passion for their team. “
Halfway through the game, members of the Central Valley Booster Club, one of over 50 officially recognized by the Raiders, had a chance to indulge in the Chicken Taquitos and Chicken and Carne Asada Nachos made by Eddie Cerda.
The bar even accepts fans of other NFL teams.
“The real fans just want to see the game and have a good time. We don’t care who your team is, we just want to have a good time, ”said Perez. “If you’re a real Raider fan, there’s always respect.”
Where can one gather?
Raiders Tavern & Grill
M Resort
12300 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Henderson
Stage door casino
4000 Linq track
Jackpot bar and grill
4485 S. Jones Boulevard
Lucy’s bar
Lucky Club Hotel & Casino
3227 Civic Center Drive, North Las Vegas
Auszeit sports bar
6138 W. Charleston Blvd.
Flip flops
1215 Las Vegas Boulevard. south
