Just like a horror movie villain that will not die, Las Vegas keeps popping back up. The Oakland A’s can claim that they are focused on staying in Oakland all they want, but actions speak louder than words. The fact that Las Vegas is still in the hunt as the A’s future home speaks volumes.
The latest news regarding that continued flirtation speaks volumes as well. That flirtation is progressing towards a possible relationship as the A’s are reportedly down to two finalists for their hypothetical stadium in Las Vegas.
Oakland A’s ramping up interest in Las Vegas
Both sites are seemingly different. Team president Dave Kaval noted that one scenario involves the A’s purchasing the land outright and building a mixed purpose development with a domed stadium. The other option involves partnering with an established casino and building a stadium with a hotel/resort as part of the package.
Public funding is now also coming into play. State and local politicians had been adamant that public funding would not be made available for the A’s to head to Las Vegas, but that no longer appears to be the case. While they continue to remain opposed to another rooms tax, there may be other ways to raise funds to lure the A’s away from Oakland.
At this point, it seems to be a matter of which side blinks first. Oakland is moving towards making the Howard Terminal Project a reality. Las Vegas, meanwhile, is continuing to be a strong possibility, especially with the news that public funding could be available and that the A’s are down to a pair of finalists for a new stadium site should they relocate.
The Oakland A’s are down to a pair of finalists for a potential stadium in Las Vegas. Relocation continues to be a real possibility in the next few years.