New bill to build A's stadium on Las Vegas Strip caps Nevada's cost at $380 million US
Bulk of public funding would come from transferable tax credits from state, county bonds
A bill introduced late Friday in the Nevada Legislature would give the Oakland Athletics up to $380 million US for a potential 30,000-seat, $1.5 billion retractable roof stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.
The A's have been looking for a home to replace Oakland Coliseum, where the team has played since arriving from Kansas City for the 1968 season. The team previously sought to build a stadium in Fremont, California, as well as San Jose and finally the Oakland waterfront — all ideas that never materialized.
The plan in the Nevada Legislature won't directly raise taxes. It can move forward with a simple majority vote in the Senate and Assembly. Lawmakers have a little more than a week to consider the proposal before they adjourn June 5, though it could be voted on if a special session is called.
The Athletics have agreed to use land on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip, where the Tropicana Las Vegas casino resort sits. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has said she is disappointed the team didn't negotiate with Oakland as a "true partner."
Las Vegas would be 4th home for A's
Las Vegas would be the fourth home for a franchise that started as the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901-54. It would become the smallest TV market in Major League Baseball and the smallest market to be home to three major professional sports franchises.
The team and Las Vegas are hoping to draw from the nearly 40 million tourists who visit the city annually to help fill the stadium. The 30,000-seat capacity would make it the smallest MLB stadium.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on Thursday said a vote on the Oakland Athletics' prospective move to Las Vegas could take place when owners meet June 13-15 in New York.
Under the bill, the Clark County Board of Commissioners would create a homelessness prevention and assistance fund along the stadium's area in coordination with MLB and the Nevada Resort Association. There, they would manage funds for services, including emergency rental and utility assistance, job training, rehabilitation and counselling services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The lease agreement with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority would be up for renewal after 30 years.
Nevada's legislative leadership is reviewing the proposal, Democratic state Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager said in a statement Thursday.
"No commitment will be made until we have both evaluated the official proposal and received input from interested parties, including impacted community members," Yeager said.
