The Oakland A’s are considering their options with the new administration in Nevada.
Gov. Joe Lombardo, inaugurated earlier this month, is opposed to raising taxes to fund a new ballpark, but the state could provide financial help in other ways.
- A state spokesperson said that the A’s or any other team interested in coming to Nevada could qualify for economic development programs.
- The Raiders received $750 million in public funding for their 2020 move from Oakland to Las Vegas, but the state doesn’t seem open to a similar deal with the A’s.
- Lombardo has spoken with A’s officials and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.
Lack of Commitment
The A’s may have narrowed their search for a Las Vegas location to the Tropicana site owned by Bally’s. They were also in talks regarding the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, but site owner Phil Ruffin said he hasn’t been in touch with the team recently.
The team would look to build a $1 billion, 35,000-seat stadium with a retractable dome, should they move to Sin City.
Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft said that while the Raiders were committed to Las Vegas early in the process, “I have not seen that from the Oakland A’s at any level, and it’s not really our job to go out and beg them to come here because we have earned the reputation of the greatest arena on Earth.”
