Athletics Las Vegas Stadium Legislation Proposes $380M in Public Money

A bill introduced Friday to the Nevada legislature proposed $380 million in public funding toward a new stadium for the Oakland Athletics in Las Vegas.

According to Gabe Stern of the Associated Press, the proposal includes $180 million in transferable tax credits from the state, $120 million in county bonds and $25 million in credit from Clark County for a 30,000 seat, $1.5 billion retractable roof stadium.

With the Athletics unable to reach an agreement to build a new ballpark in Oakland, they announced in April that they had purchased land on the Las Vegas strip with the intention of relocating the team.

Per Stern, the Las Vegas stadium plan can pass with majority vote in the Senate and Assembly, and it could be voted on by the time they adjourn on June 5.

Additionally, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said the Athletics' potential move to Vegas could be voted on from June 13 to June 15 when MLB owners meet in New York.

At 30,000 seats, the A's would have the lowest-capacity ballpark in MLB, but going to Las Vegas would represent a move into the fastest-growing market in professional sports.

After previously having no major pro sports teams, the A's would join the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights and NFL's Las Vegas Raiders as franchises that have been created in or relocated to the city since 2017.

Las Vegas would technically be a downgrade from Oakland in terms of market size, but thanks to its status as a tourist destination, it is believed to be capable of supporting multiple pro sports teams.

Also, the Athletics' backs have been against the wall for some time, as they have struggled to find a solution to their stadium situation that would have kept them in Oakland.

Since moving to Oakland from Kansas City in 1968, the A's have played in the Oakland Coliseum, which has long been out of date.

Assuming the Athletics' relocation and stadium deal in Las Vegas are approved, they will leave behind an indelible legacy in Oakland, as they won four World Series championships during their time in the city.

Success has been elusive in recent years, though, as the A's missed the playoffs in both 2021 and 2022, and they are well on their way to doing it again this season with an MLB-worst 10-43 record.