A’s Take Big Swing With Purchase Of Land Near Las Vegas Strip

The Oakland Athletics, a Major League Baseball team, signaled their impending move to Las Vegas last week. They made a formal agreement to buy 49 acres of land near the Vegas Strip from Red Rock Resorts (Station Casinos).

The team and the Las Vegas casino operator did not disclose the land’s price or potential sale timeline. Based on JMP Securities gaming analyst Jordan Bender’s analysis, Station Casinos could gather $150 million from the land sale.

There have been rumors about this move for a few years, but it is still nearer to the start than the finish.

Where the A’s stadium will be built

The contract binding the A’s to purchase land from Station Casinos is situated just west of the I-15 on Tropicana. The Wild Wild West Casino, which closed last year, was previously located on this land.

Station Casinos continues to hold ownership of 50 acres of land next to the parcel they intend to sell to the A’s. The company has yet to disclose their plans regarding the development or sale of the leftover land.

Station Casinos may potentially construct a casino and hotel on the property. The company, a Las Vegas local casino operator, could also opt to sell the remaining land to another firm, leaving them to take on the development. This would provide Station Casinos with the necessary funds to open a new casino in Henderson. The company’s previous endeavor to run a casino close to the Vegas Strip concluded when they sold Palms.

Currently, The Orleans is the nearest casino to the A’s stadium. Located about a mile west of the proposed stadium site, this Boyd Gaming casino could potentially add an interesting aspect to the A’s land transaction.

The expense of the MLB stadium is reported to be somewhere between $1 billion and $1.6 billion. The project may also potentially include other facilities like a concert amphitheater.

It’s just the beginning of a years-long process

Several procedures need to be completed before the Oakland A’s can formally start planning as the Las Vegas A’s. The legally binding deal to purchase the land for a stadium is just the initial step. Presently, the team is in discussions to get help in constructing a stadium with a capacity of 35,000, located near Allegiant Stadium.

After the negotiation of the stadium deal, the A’s are required to get MLB’s approval to relocate. However, this appears to be a foregone conclusion, as MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has expressed his backing for the Athletics’ move to Las Vegas.

Once the stadium agreement is finalized and the move is sanctioned by MLB, it is probable that the A’s will complete the land purchase and proceed.

Hold on… there’s still more!

The Athletics’ agreement to play home games at Oakland Coliseum expires post the 2025 season. The anticipated readiness of their Las Vegas stadium, if everything proceeds according to plan, is 2027.

Finding a temporary home

Should the A’s fail to secure a two-year lease in California during construction, they have the option to play home games in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Ball Park in Summerlin, home to their Triple-A team, the Las Vegas Aviators, could serve as their gaming field. Currently, it has a seating capacity of 10,000.

Should this event occur, the stadium that was inaugurated in 2019 would require renovations. The main alteration would involve replacing the grass field with artificial turf. Maintaining the grass in impeccable condition for an additional 81 games would be virtually unfeasible due to the high summer temperatures in Las Vegas.

Infrastructure changes would also be necessary to upgrade the stadium to MLB specifications.

A’s looking for $600K in public assistance to build stadium

Before the A’s can receive approval from MLB to depart from Oakland, they must secure a deal to construct a stadium. This requirement may also obstruct the A’s from finalizing the land acquisition from Station Casinos.

The A’s are set to contribute $1 billion for a new MLB stadium in Las Vegas. However, they are seeking around $600,000 in public aid to fully finance the stadium.

Details regarding public funding for a stadium have not yet been finalized. Numerous possibilities are under consideration. The most favored proposition seems to be the extension of the Stadium District around Allegiant Stadium to the land earmarked for the construction of the A’s stadium. This strategy was initially given the green light in 2021.

Michael Naft, the Clark County Commissioner, told KNTV Las Vegas that this could be a possibility.

“This primarily involves leveraging any new taxes arising from that stadium district.”

He asserts that it wouldn’t be a tax money handout. Instead, Clark County would aim to get a return on its investment. The objective is to formulate a plan ready before the current legislative session concludes in June.

A’s strike labor union deal on stadium construction

Although the A’s are yet to develop a financial plan for the stadium, they have struck a deal with the union to construct it. Just last week, the A’s and Southern Nevada Building Trades entered into a Project Labor Agreement for the construction of the new stadium.

The union’s executive secretary-treasurer, Vince Saavedra, is enthusiastic about the project.

“Our members are prepared and enthusiastic to commence work on this project. We are also excited about the prospect of collaborating with the A’s to develop a top-of-the-line stadium.”

Can the A’s build a team that locals will rally behind?

The A’s are only beginning their process of moving to Las Vegas. We should expect a lot of activity in the upcoming months.

After the negotiations conclude, there will be a pause before the construction of the new MLB stadium is scheduled to start next year.

Once all the off-field preparations are completed, it will be time to debate if the A’s will establish an MLB franchise that will gain the support of Las Vegas residents.