The Oakland Athletics might not relocate to Las Vegas if the mayor of Oakland, Sheng Thao, has her way. Thao has sent a letter to the owners of 15 out of the 30 Major League Baseball clubs, urging them to reject the proposed move of the Oakland Athletics to Las Vegas.
According to ESPN, who obtained a copy of the letter, Thao’s communication reiterates several points that she has been making since April, when the A’s surprised the city by announcing their plans to move to Las Vegas and construct a stadium on a nine-acre plot currently occupied by the Tropicana Las Vegas Casino Resort. The letter is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to counter the A’s claim that Oakland did not act with sufficient urgency in obtaining clearances and securing funding for a $12 billion, 55-acre residential/retail waterfront development that includes a 35,000-seat stadium.
Thao stated in her letter that Oakland has secured $428 million in public funding for off-site infrastructure, in addition to approximately $500 million in on-site infrastructure that the city and county will contribute through “tax increment funding.” She further emphasized that the proposed funding assistance for a new stadium development in Oakland is nearly triple the reported $380 million that the A’s have secured in Las Vegas for a smaller stadium project. Thao believes that there is a clear path to build a state-of-the-art new ballpark in Oakland, and it can be done just as expeditiously, if not more so, than in Las Vegas.
This story is incredibly intriguing, with numerous complex aspects to consider.
John Fisher, the owner of the Oakland Athletics, has consistently been one of the least financially invested owners in the league. The Athletics have not ranked in the top twenty for payroll rankings in over ten years, and their performance in 2023 was particularly disheartening. They had the lowest payroll in the league, a mere fraction of what top teams like the Mets, Dodgers, and Yankees spent. According to one source, their payroll was a meager $33 million, which is significantly less than what many players earn.
Furthermore, the condition of the Oakland Coliseum, where the Athletics currently play, is dire. Simply put, it falls far short of the standards expected of a modern MLB stadium. The dilapidated venue is associated with reports of sewage leaks, subpar concessions, and sparse crowds.
However, Oakland insists that they are prepared to contribute at least some funds to construct a respectable stadium in the Bay Area and retain the team in Oakland. Negotiations between the team and the city broke down in the Spring, leading to the subsequent announcement of a move to Las Vegas.
This relocation can be halted if less than three-quarters of the owners approve it. While this outcome seems unlikely, the article raises a valid point about the potential financial benefits of placing an expansion team in Las Vegas, one that would have its own distinct identity.
According to the Source brobible.com