Las Vegas Resorts Eager to Bring In A’s

Las Vegas resort operators are anxious to bring in the Oakland A’s.

A group of executives meeting with A’s owner John Fisher and president Dave Kaval expressed their “full support” for bringing the team to Southern Nevada, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal.

• Derek Stevens, co-owner of multiple Las Vegas hotels and casinos, said that he and others in the Las Vegas hospitality industry see the A’s bringing jobs and tourists to the area.
• He also emphasized the opportunity represented by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred waiving the team’s relocation fee.
• “People forget the expansion fee [for new MLB teams] will be between $1 billion to $2 billion,” said Stevens. “Who in Vegas has that kind of money for an expansion fee, and then have to deal with all the other elements like stadium costs and operating cash?”

The team is believed to be scouting the Bally’s-owned Tropicana site and Phil Ruffin’s Las Vegas Festival Grounds.

Stay or Go?

The A’s are still waiting to see what Oakland can secure in grant money from county, state, and federal programs to provide infrastructure improvements around a proposed $12 billion waterfront development centered on a new A’s stadium. 

The city has said it has already raised $375 million in transportation grants but will need to secure more funding.