Oakland Athletics ownership has reached out to owners of potential ballpark sites in Southern Nevada in the event the team is unable to secure a $500 million tax deferment package for a 49-acre site west of the Las Vegas Strip, reports the Nevada Independent. A's ownership has entered a binding agreement for the Strip site but has yet to submit definitive plans to Nevada lawmakers.
Here are more details on the team's interest in Southern Nevada sites as a backup plan to the Strip site (via the Nevada Independent):
Sources connected to the A's and close to the negotiations said Monday that the A's are still focused on acquiring the former Wild West Casino site bordered by Tropicana Avenue and Dean Martin Drive from Red Rock Resorts for an undisclosed price for the 35,000-seat retractable roof stadium and a surrounding entertainment district.
However, they also confirmed the A's reached back out to ownership of the Rio Hotel & Casino, which offered the team 22 acres of the resort's 90-acre site, for just $1. The A's had rejected the deal that could have greatly reduced some of the costs associated with the land acquisition because the team was concerned about traffic access.
The Athletics entered the binding agreement for the Strip site last month. However, the club is seeking a $500 million package involving tax credits and the creation of a special taxation district to help fund stadium construction. The club is running out of time to file a proposal with Nevada lawmakers.
Even if the A's can secure financing for a new ballpark in Las Vegas, the stadium is unlikely to open earlier than 2027. The team's lease at the Oakland Coliseum expires after 2024. The A's would have to find a temporary home between ballparks, which could mean playing at Las Vegas Ballpark, home of their Triple-A affiliate.
If the A's succeed in relocating to Las Vegas, they will become just the second Major League Baseball team in recent history to move across state lines. The most recent occurrence saw the Montreal Expos, then owned by the league, relocate to Washington, D.C. and become the Nationals. That move took place before the 2005 season.
