MLB Commissioner: Las Vegas the ‘Focus’ for A’s

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred revealed that the Oakland A’s have used the transition period in Oakland’s government to further explore their options in Las Vegas.

“The focus [since December] has been on Las Vegas,” Manfred said at a press conference Wednesday, noting that new Oakland mayor Sheng Thao — who was sworn in on Jan. 9 — needed “time to get settled” before fully engaging on the stadium negotiations with the team.

The A’s are in talks on two potential stadium sites in Las Vegas: the Bally’s-owned Tropicana site and billionaire Phil Ruffin’s Las Vegas Festival Grounds. 

Manfred referred to Oakland’s infrastructure funding as a “threshold issue.”

The team and city have negotiated a framework in which the A’s would pay for a new ballpark and surrounding housing, parks, retail, and office — which would cost an estimated $12 billion. The city would pay for infrastructure improvements in the surrounding area.

Stadiums & Real Estate

| by Owen Poindexter

Oakland A’s Brass Back Scouting Las Vegas Sites

The Oakland A’s owner and president are visiting Las Vegas.

February 1, 2023

Oakland officials have said that they have already been granted $375 million in funds toward the project and outstanding grants for another $100 million. The city could also issue a limited-obligation bond for $150 million.