Associated Press May 27 2023 9:27 am ET3 minute meter
What does a potential move to Vegas mean for athletics?
Michele Steele opens up on how moving to Vegas would affect athletics.
CARSON CITY, Nevada — A bill introduced in the Nevada state legislature late Friday would give the Oakland Athletics up to $380 million for a potential 30,000-seat retractable-roof stadium on the Las Vegas Strip valued at $1.5 billion provide dollars.
The bulk of the public funding would come from $180 million in state transferrable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds, which may vary by interest rate. Clark County would also provide a $25 million loan for infrastructure costs.
The A’s have been looking for a home to replace the Oakland Coliseum, where the team has played since arriving from Kansas City for the 1968 season. The team had attempted to build a stadium in Fremont, San Jose and eventually the Oakland waterfront, all ideas that never came to fruition. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said she was disappointed the team didn’t negotiate with Oakland as a “true partner.”
The plan in the Nevada legislature would not increase taxes directly and can be implemented with a simple majority in the Senate and Assembly. Lawmakers have just over a week to consider the proposal before adjourning it on June 5. However, it could be voted on when a special session is called.
The Athletics have agreed to use land at the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip where the Tropicana Las Vegas casino resort is located.
Las Vegas would be the fourth home of a franchise that began as the Philadelphia Athletics and lasted from 1901 to 1954. It would become the smallest television market in Major League Baseball and the smallest market to be home to three major men’s professional sports franchises.
The team and Las Vegas hope the nearly 40 million tourists who visit the city each year can help fill the stadium. With a seating capacity of 30,000, it would be the smallest MLB stadium.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday that a vote on the Athletics’ potential move to Las Vegas could take place when the owners meet in New York June 13-15.
The plan’s path through the Nevada Legislature is uncertain. On Thursday, Democratic leaders said funding laws, including for the A-states, may not be enforced if Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoes the five budget bills, which he has threatened to do because many of his priorities are in the Democrat-controlled state Populations have stalled or faded Legislatures.
Under the bill, the Clark County Board of Directors, in coordination with the MLB and the Nevada Resort Association, would establish a homelessness prevention and assistance fund along stadium grounds. There they would administer funds for services including emergency housing assistance for rent and utilities, job training, rehabilitation and counseling services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The lease with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority would be renewed after 30 years.
Nevada’s legislative leadership is considering the proposal, Democratic State Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager said in a statement Thursday.
“No commitment will be made until we have both evaluated the official proposal and received input from interested parties, including affected community members,” Yeager said.