It’s Official: Oakland A’s Are Moving To Las Vegas

[TGIFaanes]

On 4/20/2023 at 2:57 PM, UNLV2001 said:

The Las Vegas A’s will have a temporary home in southern Nevada ahead of the construction of a billion-dollar baseball stadium west of the Las Vegas Strip, Dave Kaval, president of the Athletics organization told 8newsnow.com Thursday.

The new stadium

“So it’s a great site,” Kaval said of the future location of the A’s baseball stadium, “good for locals, easy to get in and out of in the resort corridor for tourists. We’re really excited about it and we’re excited to make this big milestone announcement to the public.”

Kaval talked about a survey that went out to thousands of Las Vegas residents, and sports fans from other markets asking what elements would be important to make a Las Vegas professional baseball team work. He said the responses were loud and clear.

 

“Have a climate-controlled environment for the games in the summer, which we’re going to have because we’re going to have a dome or partially retractable dome, and also have somewhere that’s easy to get in and out of,” said Kaval.

The A’s president told 8newsnow.com that designers were looking into extending Park Avenue near T-Mobile Arena to create a pedestrian overcrossing that would end at the new stadium and provide access from many of the popular casinos and resorts on the Strip.

Kaval expects groundbreaking to occur in 2024, with a grand opening to take place in 2027. As for how the new stadium will be paid for, the A’s have been in communication with various southern Nevada leaders.

“We’re working with Governor Lombardo, Nicole Cannizzaro in the senate, Steve Yeager with the assembly, all the leadership, Clark County, Jim Gibson, to ensure that we put together a package that’s fiscally responsible, that ensures that it’s done in a way that is accretive and beneficial to the public sector,” Kaval said. “We’re going to be contributing the land that we purchased to the public as part of a stadium district.”

Additionally, Kaval said the Athletics have spoken to the Boring Company, the organization headed by Elon Musk which has been tasked with building tunnels underneath Las Vegas.

“We spoke to Steve Davis at The Boring Company,” Kaval said. “And yes, a stop is in our future. Maybe two.”

The fans

Kaval said the importance of a local fanbase for the A’s is paramount.

“We want to make sure that we have an incredible team to watch, and we’re very competitive and winning World Series,” said Kaval. “I think that fan base is out there and tapping into that as an exciting aspect of the team coming to town.”

“It’s going to be a spectacle,” Kaval said, adding that promotions will be important to the club as they get a new start in southern Nevada. “I think that’s going to fit in perfectly in Las Vegas, it’s going to be a lot of fun and excitement.”

Fun and winning, Kaval anticipates the Las Vegas Athletics will have a much larger payroll.

“We’re going to have a lot more resources and to give that type of resources to Billy Beane and David Forrest on our baseball side — look out it’s going to be really, really compelling,” Kaval said.

Moving from Oakland

The deadline placed on the club to have an agreement for a new stadium, Kaval said, affected the decision to leave Oakland for Las Vegas.

“That was a big deal because that put out there a hard deadline that we had to achieve and I think that really accelerated our efforts in Las Vegas,” Kaval said, adding that his experience in the Las Vegas valley had been positive and encouraging.

The future of the Las Vegas Aviators

“We have an agreement with the Aviators with Don [Logan] and Howard Hughes [Corporation] to play at their stadium temporarily,” he said. “We’re really deferring to Major League Baseball to kind of help us make that decision.”

Kaval said the Las Vegas Aviators, currently the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, will be staying in the area.

“It’s going to be like the Golden Knights and the Silver Knights,” said Kaval. “Having two teams in town at the same time. It’s going to be great for player development.”

 

 

So were gonna see 8 to 9pm start times during the summer? East Coast teams is gonna love that.

[UNLV2001]

On 4/20/2023 at 2:26 PM, TGIFaanes said:

So were gonna see 8 to 9pm start times during the summer? East Coast teams is gonna love that.

Probably same as current AAA team's start times 

[818SUDSFan]

On 4/20/2023 at 1:39 PM, NVGiant said:

He's made a lot of money on the backs of other owners. He's a greedy turd who will likely fleece Vegas like he's fleeced his fanbase in Oakland.

And to think that 30 years ago at this time it looked like the Giants could be moving to Tampa to call this beautiful stadium their home.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropicana_Field#/media/File:Tropicana_Field_Playing_Field_Opening_Day_2010.JPG

[NVGiant]

On 4/20/2023 at 2:28 PM, 818SUDSFan said:

And to think that 30 years ago at this time it looked like the Giants could be moving to Tampa to call this beautiful stadium their home.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropicana_Field#/media/File:Tropicana_Field_Playing_Field_Opening_Day_2010.JPG

Lol. It was close! And now with the A’s moving, Giants could pass Cubs and Red Sox in value.

[NVGiant]

On 4/20/2023 at 11:12 AM, RSF said:

The trend is toward smaller stadiums.  Most teams dont need more than 40K.  All the stadiums built this century were in the 36 to 42k range.  The exception was the Yankees, and they downsized from 56k to 46k.

And new Yankee Stadium is not a great venue.

[toonkee]

On 4/20/2023 at 1:35 PM, Bob said:

Looks like a desert wasteland. Why is there now a city there?

Because freedom. Thought you were into that.

[UNLV2001]

 

[thelawlorfaithful]

On 4/20/2023 at 2:26 PM, TGIFaanes said:

So were gonna see 8 to 9pm start times during the summer? East Coast teams is gonna love that.

They’ll be out on the town all night anyway

[SJSUMFA2013]

The city of Oakland is absolutely thrilled to be rid of these guys (and the raiders and the warriors). You’ll start to see significant improvements to the quality of life there now. That’s the idea anyway. 

[Rebels18]

anyone still have the watercolors of the A's stadium proposal in that shipping yard? LOL

[ph90702]

On 4/20/2023 at 4:13 PM, Rebels18 said:

anyone still have the watercolors of the A's stadium proposal in that shipping yard? LOL

 

[Spot50B]

On 4/20/2023 at 11:46 AM, utenation said:

The Raiders have averaged 60k+ in their first two seasons in Vegas with the Raiders being average at best including coaching controversies. 
 

The novelty of being  a new team in town with a pimp stadium might wear off but I hope not. Owners and planners looking to move look closely at this stuff so Vegas is looking good right now.

Btw,  I like the idea of a storied brand coming to town instead of an expansion club. 
 

Utah made the Jazz who they are. Not New Orleans. 

Were the New Orleans Jazz a "storied brand?"

[NVGiant]

On 4/20/2023 at 3:29 PM, UNLV2001 said:

 

I was wondering this. I'm generally against public money for stadiums, but the state kicking in for Allegiant made some sense because Vegas really could use a stadium capable of hosting major events like the Super Bowl, FF, bowl games, and big concerts. But a baseball stadium doesn't add much that Vegas doesn't now have. It is really just going to be used as a baseball stadium (and maybe the occasional concert). That's still 81 guaranteed dates a year, but wondering if they'll struggle to get the support in the legislature they need.

[ph90702]

How is it going to work with the Athletics and Aviators sharing the same ballpark for three seasons?

[NVGiant]

On 4/20/2023 at 4:42 PM, ph90702 said:

How is it going to work with the Athletics and Aviators sharing the same ballpark for three seasons?

Make Cashman Field great again!

[UNLV2001]

On 4/20/2023 at 4:39 PM, NVGiant said:

I was wondering this. I'm generally against public money for stadiums, but the state kicking in for Allegiant made some sense because Vegas really could use a stadium capable of hosting major events like the Super Bowl, FF, bowl games, and big concerts. But a baseball stadium doesn't add much that Vegas doesn't now have. It is really just going to be used as a baseball stadium (and maybe the occasional concert). That's still 81 guaranteed dates a year, but wondering if they'll struggle to get the support in the legislature they need.

Agree that LV did need a major venue for events and whoever was first to pull the trigger was going to have an easier time at public financing - Raiders won that race

Will see if this gets some pushback .......... Raiders got some heat from public over their $750M tax deal.

This might have to be creatively structured in some fashion to get some legislative support 

[UNLV2001]

 

[MissionTrails]

On 4/20/2023 at 1:01 PM, Raz said:

Who can blame any company or individual for fleeing Cali?  What a self-made hellhole.  Good luck As!

I always marvel at the non-Californians spewing such nonsense. Us residents in the #1 state just sit back, crack open a beer, and thank you for the continued amusement. Carry on with your silly resentment, we know what it really is.

[soupslam1]

On 4/20/2023 at 1:29 PM, Spaztecs said:

It's Official

 

UNLV will never have a fan base.

 

No kidding. They’re going to end up like SJSU with pro sports taking over the town. 

[soupslam1]

On 4/20/2023 at 6:03 PM, MissionTrails said:

I always marvel at the non-Californians spewing such nonsense. Us residents in the #1 state just sit back, crack open a beer, and thank you for the continued amusement. Carry on with your silly resentment, we know what it really is.

And pay far more taxes than the rest of us. That and fight the mobs of people every day. Yep it’s a real garden of Eden. Left Cali long ago. Best move I’ve ever made