Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke with reporters (including Susan Slusser and Tim Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle) today about several topics, including the Athletics’ ongoing plans to build a new ballpark in Las Vegas and moving the franchise out of Oakland. Over the past two days, the apparently planned move has taken a notable step forward, as A and Nevada officials have reached tentative agreement on a plan to provide $380 million in public money to build a new ballpark (worth around $1.5 billion) at the site. Tropicana Hotel in Vegas.
Although the Tropicana is the second Las Vegas location the A’s have followed in less than two months,”I think they’ve settled on a site (now)Manfred said. Mick Akers from the Las Vegas Review She also points out that the A’s are only looking at the Tropicana site and not considering other options.
On whether the athletics plan will come to fruition, Manfred said that “optimistic about the occurrence (movement),” but “It’s very difficult to have an Oakland schedule so there’s already a deal to be considered. There is a transfer process internally that they need to go through and we haven’t even started that process.… I don’t have a crystal ball where anything goes. There is no final deal done in Las Vegas and we’ll have to see how that plays out. “
The most obvious hurdle at this point is the fact that Nevada’s contribution to the ballpark is one of many items not approved as part of the state budget. As Taylor R. Avery of the Las Vegas Review-Journal points out, the Nevada Senate and House were unable to agree with Governor Joe Lombardo on several aspects of the budget, with Lombardo threatening to veto the Nevada legislative budget proposal.Until the policy priorities I set on day one are on my desk. The athletics proposal is, of course, one of the newer items in Lombardo’s spending plans, and likely not even the most controversial, as Avery notes that there is quite a bit of controversy over many of the education-related spending priorities that have or aren’t even included in the budget. now.
It remains to be seen exactly when or how the budget crisis can be resolved, though the Nevada state legislature ends on June 5. However, if the issue of financing the stadium is resolved by then, Manfred said that “A vote on the transition could take place as early as JuneSeventy-five percent of MLB owners will have to vote in favor of the proposal in order for the A’s to officially set their sights on the Las Vegas, move out of Oakland that will coincide with the end of their lease on the Coliseum after the 2024 season.