Nevada Governor Approves Public Funding for A’s New Stadium, Enhancing Vegas’ Global Sports Presence

In a significant move, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo signed a bill on Thursday, sanctioning a public funding package worth $380 million for the construction of a new Major League Baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics in Las Vegas. This act follows a lengthy approval procedure for the A’s proposed relocation, outlined by the MLB commissioner.

As a first-term Republican governor and former sheriff of Las Vegas, Lombardo enthusiastically embraced the Democrat-led Legislature’s decision, which was concluded after an extended seven-day special session on Wednesday night.

Lombardo, expressing his thrill from Carson City, stated, “This is an unprecedented chance to welcome the A’s to Nevada.”

The $1.5 billion plan envisions a stadium with a retractable roof in proximity to the Vegas Raiders of the NFL, who left Oakland in 2020, and the NHL’s Golden Knights, who recently celebrated their Stanley Cup victory in their sixth season.

The governor explained that the legislation “is the result of months-long negotiations between the team, the state, the county, and the league. With MLB coming on board, Las Vegas’ standing as a global sports hotspot is only set to rise.”

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, during a press conference held at a meeting of owners in New York, elucidated the review process for the A’s proposed move. The stadium, with a 30,000 seating capacity, is set to be MLB’s smallest.

Manfred elaborated that the team must formally apply for relocation, detailing its efforts in Oakland and making a case for Las Vegas as a more viable market. A relocation committee will then determine the new operational and television territories, making a recommendation to Manfred and the eight-person executive council. The council will propose the move to all clubs, requiring a minimum three-quarter majority approval.

Expressing their anticipation, the team acknowledged late on Thursday that the Nevada governor’s signing of the funding bill was “a pivotal step towards finding a new home for the Athletics.”

They stated, “We are eager to initiate the relocation process to Las Vegas with the MLB, to become a part of Southern Nevada’s vibrant professional sports community, contributing to job creation, economic growth, and fostering community pride with a Major League Baseball team.”

The proposed $380 million public funding would be majorly sourced from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Supporters have assured that a special tax district around the proposed stadium will generate enough revenue to offset these bonds and the accompanying interest, without necessitating a tax hike.

However, the project’s public funding has reignited nationwide debates over public financing for private sports organizations. Proponents, including A’s representatives and some Nevada tourism officials, argue that it could bolster Las Vegas’ flourishing sports landscape and drive economic growth. Critics, however, including economists and some lawmakers, caution that such ventures offer minimal benefits relative to their substantial public cost.

Criticism has emerged from across the political spectrum, especially from areas in northern and rural Nevada, which are considerably distant from Las Vegas.

Reno’s progressive Democrat Assemblywoman, Selena La Rue Hatch, declared during Wednesday night’s debate, “No amendments can alter the fact that we are allotting millions of public dollars to a billionaire.”

Meanwhile, Republican Senator Ira Hansen, from Sparks, criticized, “Deploying taxpayer money for special interests rather than private investment is socialism.”

Nevertheless, proponents insist that the project will not only create 14,000 construction jobs and permanent jobs with collective bargaining but also augment the buzz created by the Raiders, the Golden Knights, and the WNBA’s Aces – a city that had no major professional sports before 2016.

Democratic Assemblywoman Shea Backus, from Las Vegas, said, “With the Aces clinching a national championship last year and the Golden Knights winning the Stanley Cup just yesterday, Las Vegas is unequivocally emerging as the world’s entertainment and sports hub.”

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More about public funding

• Nevada Governor Signs Public Funding Bill for New A’s Stadium
• Oakland Athletics’ Proposed Move to Las Vegas
• MLB Commissioner Outlines Approval Process for A’s Relocation
• Details of the Funding Package for the Stadium
• Debate Over Public Funding for Sports Projects
• Impact of the New Stadium on Las Vegas’ Sports Scene