The A’s inevitable move to Vegas keeps gaining steam
The Oakland Athletics have released initial renderings for a proposed 30,000-seat ballpark in Las Vegas, giving fans a glimpse of what their potential move to Nevada could entail. The stadium would be located on the Las Vegas Strip and feature a partially retractable roof, with home plate facing Las Vegas Boulevard. In addition, a new 1,500-room hotel and casino by the Bally’s Corporation is planned to be constructed across from the stadium on the 34-acre site.
The A’s Organization Continues to Move Forward
“We are excited to share our vision for the A’s potential new home,” A’s team president Dave Kaval said in a statement. “As our first conceptual design, we will continue to refine the look and feel of the ballpark over the next year. We hope our project goes beyond a traditional ballpark and serves as a catalyst for community development and engagement. It follows in the footsteps and success of the professional sports teams that come before us, in creating union jobs, stimulating economic growth and fostering investments in the community.”
“Thanks to the vision of Bally’s and GLPI, we have the opportunity to bring baseball to one of the most energetic locations in Las Vegas. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Nevada governor, legislative leaders, Clark County commissioners and the Southern Nevada communities as we move forward with plans on our new home.”
The Las Vegas #Athletics renderings have finally dropped. Can see why Manfred thought the stadium was at the MGM. pic.twitter.com/rzI2WSyJPN
— Casey Pratt (@CaseyPrattABC7) May 26, 2023
Securing Funding is Still a Looming Issue
The agreement between the A’s and Bally’s to build the $1.5 billion stadium was reached earlier this month. The proposed location for the stadium is the current site of the Tropicana Las Vegas casino near the MGM Grand Hotel. As part of the project, the A’s have reportedly secured a tentative deal to receive up to $380 million in public funds. One of the major challenges they face is obtaining legislative approval for a funding package, which is a critical step in the process. In a recent development, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo made an announcement regarding a preliminary agreement on a bill for public funding. The next phase involves the formal introduction of the funding bill into the Nevada Legislature. It is anticipated that the amount of public funding allocated for the stadium project will be considerably lower than the team’s initial request of $395 million, or even the original target of $500 million.
While the move from Oakland to Las Vegas has not been finalized, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has indicated that team owners could vote on it as early as their meetings in New York next month. The Athletics’ lease at the Oakland Coliseum is set to expire in 2024.
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