The Oakland Athletics are just a signature away from a lucrative landing spot in Las Vegas.
Nevada’s state assembly passed a bill Wednesday to provide $380 million in public funding for a $1.5 billion stadium on the Strip, paving the way for the A’s to relocate from Oakland ― their home since 1968 ― to Las Vegas.
SB1 passed through the assembly by a 25-15 vote, one day after the bill cleared the senate after a week of vigorous lobbying by the club helped flip eight votes in the senate. Later, the senate approved minor amendments made by the assembly ― such as increasing the club’s annual community commitment to $2 million ― before sending the bill on to Gov. Joe Lombardo.
Lombardo, a Republican, is expected to sign the bill.
Lombardo called a special session specifically to take up the A’s bill after it stalled in a senate committee during the state’s regular legislative session. Rigorous question of A’s and state tourism officials raised hopes from A’s fans that the stadium funding bill would die, and a crowd of nearly 27,000 turned out for a “reverse boycott” of their Tuesday game at the Oakland Coliseum, just one night after 4,400 turned out for their game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
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But A’s owner John Fisher, who ducked reporters’ inquiries Wednesday at the Major League Baseball owners’ meetings in New York, is primed to receive significant public funds for a stadium that proved elusive in California as he stripped the club of veteran players and turned the A’s into the majors’ worst team.
Lombardo’s signature won’t end that saga. MLB owners must vote to approve the relocation and Fisher must secure financing for what he says will be $1.1 billion in team outlays for the stadium. The team recently revealed that its new home ― on the current site of the Tropicana Resort, wouldn’t be ready until 2028.
With the A’s lease at Oakland’s Coliseum expiring after the 2024 season, the club would have to negotiate with Oakland to stay there three more seasons or play at the club’s outdoor Class AAA stadium outside Las Vegas. The club on Tuesday also suggested it could play some games in Reno during that interim period.
