[MEDIA]
Yeah, sure, I'm looking forward to sitting for 3-4 hours in an outdoor stadium in VEGAS in the SUMMER....
hotels.com? is that like motels.com? I used to use motels.com, the problem with them (motels.com) is as soon as you book they ding your CC, even if you book 6 months in advance. I switched to booking.com, who does not ding you until you get to your place.
At night? I've been to a few minor league games and its not bad at all. The issue is more of the wind in the spring than the heat. Try sitting in the stands in Chicago in mid summer for day games.
Group seeking to bring an NBA team to Las Vegas touts its resources, desire Image Unavailable, Please Login A view of T-Mobile Arena from the South Primrose Veranda during a tour of the new Aria East Convention Center Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. Jay Bloom is a local businessman and real estate investor who serves on both the Metro Police Use of Force Board and Civilian Review Board. Jay Bloom sees how successful the NHL has been in Las Vegas — the sellout crowds and game-night buzz on the Strip, loyal fan base and excitement created by deep playoff runs. He knows the Raiders will also be a success, especially in bringing money to town for an NFL weekend. He’s also convinced an NBA franchise would flourish here. After all, this is a basketball city, and one that’s hosted the NBA Summer League, USA Basketball training and many college conference tournaments. Most are standing room only. Bloom, a Las Vegas businessman and investor, is the point man for a group that aims bring an NBA team to the city. It’s long believed the league will eventually expand from 30 teams to 32, and what better spot than Las Vegas, Bloom proudly says. The league last expanded in 2004 when it returned to Charlotte. “I think there’s no city more deserving than Las Vegas for an expansion franchise,” Bloom said. “It would be good for the league, it would be good for the other teams and it would be good for the NBA. Ultimately, it will be the commissioner and the NBA Board of Governors making that decision.” Bloom’s group includes motivational speaker Tony Robbins and former UNLV and NBA player Marcus Banks, along with a small number of unnamed investors. An NBA spokesman did not immediately return an emailed message Friday evening, but NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in February told the Associated Press that expansion of the league is “inevitable.” Some feel Las Vegas and Seattle would be leading contenders. ESPN reported in January that the expansion fee alone would be $2.5 billion, and both Seattle and Las Vegas should have multiple interested ownership groups. “We have the resources and the desire to do so. That said, the NBA hasn’t made the decision yet that they want to do an expansion franchise,” Bloom said. Bloom cautioned that the process of securing a franchise is “in the very early stages,” but said he believes the pieces are in place to make a serious push. Bloom said “all options” would be on the table as far as a venue where the team would play, including the Golden Knights’ home of T-Mobile Arena. Bloom said it’s too early to nail down specifics of their proposal, stressing “there’s a lot of internal work we need to do. There are a lot of options and we’re exploring all those options right now.” Bloom, who moved to Las Vegas from New York 17 years ago, said he began putting together a group of investors about a year ago. He said he also explored the possibility of buying the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bloom has deep pockets. In 2017, his real estate investment company, First 100, won a $2.2 billion judgment against a Cambodian-born billionaire who defaulted on $160 million in promised funding. He previously owned the former Mob Experience attraction inside the Tropicana. Las Vegas, of course, is at the top of the list for franchises and sports leagues because of the success of the Golden Knights. The Oakland A’s of Major League Baseball are exploring relocating here, with owner John Fisher and team officials touring multiple sites throughout town late last month. “What Bill Foley and his ownership group have done with the Golden Knights has been amazing,” Bloom said. “That franchise has come so far in such a short period of time, and there’s no question that (owner) Mark Davis has had tremendous success out of the gate with the Raiders. Our WNBA team is also nipping at the heels of a championship, so there’s an energy around pro sports in Las Vegas that I haven’t seen in any other market.”
That's really relevant, Keith. Some losers got shot at a titty bar 14 years ago. How did the Maloof's fare in Las Vegas and with the NBA since then??? Wait until the Raiders have a home game with 'fans' in attendance. Do you know anything about Jay Bloom???
The A's coming back for a second look this week... Seems like its down to Las Vegas or staying in Oakland now. If Oakland approves their project, the A's won't play in their new waterfront stadium until 2027. https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/baseball/as-brass-to-make-2nd-trip-to-las-vegas-next-week-2378286/ A’s brass to make 2nd trip to Las Vegas next week Oakland A’s owner John Fisher and team president Dave Kaval plan to make a return trip to Las Vegas next week. The A’s brass will be in Southern Nevada on June 21-22, for a more site-specific trip than their first visit last month, a source with knowledge of the plans told the Review-Journal. In their first trip to the Las Vegas Valley, the A’s group met with officials from the cities of Las Vegas and Henderson, Clark County and various resort groups in what was described by Kaval as a fact-finding visit. Officials showed the team various sites where a potential baseball stadium could be built on that visit. Next week’s trip will involve looking at specific sites and will include meetings with other officials and groups the team management didn’t get to during their previous trip, the source indicated. The A’s are looking at where an estimated $1 billion ballpark could work in the valley and how it could be funded, as Kaval said in May the team is looking to set up a public-private partnership to build a ballpark. Major League Baseball officials gave the A’s the OK to explore relocation while their situation in Oakland plays out. The team is awaiting a July 20 vote on a possible $12 billion mixed-use project that would include a waterfront stadium. The team and MLB have deemed the aging RingCentral Coliseum as not being a viable facility for the future of the A’s. Visits to other possible relocation markets were initially rumored, but as recently as June 4, Kaval said no other trips are planned with the focus being on “parallel paths” in Las Vegas and Oakland
Oakland isn’t a beautiful city but I hope they stay. They deserve to to keep one team (the city, not the management). They lost everything Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This is a long and rather detailed (non-biased) article of the pro's and con's of the Oakland waterfront project. https://oaklandside.org/2021/04/26/oakland-howard-terminal-baseball-port-future/ Basically it boils down to keeping the A's and doing a massive revitalization plan while taking space from the port and dealing with traffic problems vs hurting the shipping industry which is the life blood of blue collar jobs in Oakland. Not as easy a decision as it looks. Apparently the port and all the businesses related to it are against it. Unlike when the Giants built their stadium on some skeezy warehouse area in SF, Howard terminal is a viable, working port. You have to wonder why the A's decided a "waterfront" stadium was the only solution for them when they could have done this pretty easily elsewhere. They are building the stadium with their own money but they want $11 Billion to come from taxpayers to be able make it possible. Perhaps a bridge too far... but I think in the end Oakland will keep the A's. And then Vegas will go back to Phoenix and see if the Diamondbacks want to move. I'm sorry Phoenix but you have the ugliest stadium in baseball to sit in that was way overbuilt.
Who could pay for a new Las Vegas A’s ballpark? It’s a very short list by Kevin Reichard on June 23, 2021 in Major-League Baseball, News Image Unavailable, Please Login As John Fisher and Dave Kaval make another Vegas run to determine interest in a new Athletics ballpark, it’s interesting to consider who could possibly ante up a billion dollars for a new retractable-roof facility. It’s a short list, to be sure. One outcome of this trip, which took place Monday and Tuesday, has seen the list of potential ballpark sites—as defined by Fisher and Kaval—swell to 20 or so and include Summerlin, the Strip, Las Vegas proper (including the Cashman Field area), and Henderson. Compiling that list was an important part of this week’s visit. “The reality is that all the sites have a lot of positive attributes and so I really don’t think we’re really in a position to remove any from the list at this time,” Kaval told the Las Vegas Review-Journal Tuesday afternoon. “We’re going to continue our due diligence and research and understanding of what the best locations are. But it’s really great that there are so many options and so many great ways to potentially make it work here in Southern Nevada.” But many of the sites are problematic and already well-vetted when county officials debated the new Raiders stadium. Whereas the A’s expressed early enthusiasm for a location near Allegiant Stadium, home to Las Vegas Raiders and UNLV football, it’s not clear how viable that option really is. It’s an open secret in Clark County that the Raiders are dead set against a new next-door MLB ballpark—a huge obstacle in creating a sports-corridor deal. Kaval also identified a site controlled by UNLV on Tropicana Boulevard near McCarren International once considered as a Raiders stadium site, but that site was problematic because of potential impact on flights into and out of Las Vegas. It’s also not clear how viable a Summerlin location is, despite Kaval’s interest: a planned suburban community created by Howard Hughes Corp., Summerlin hosts Las Vegas Ballpark, home of the Las Vegas Aviators (Triple-A West). Howard Hughes Corp. has been shedding assets in recent years and is quietly listening to offers for the Aviators and the ballpark; it’s hard to see Howard Hughes Corp. jumping on board for a billion-dollar ballpark. And visiting the Cashman Field area and proclaiming it as a potential ballpark site is a nice touch, but as of now the city still has a deal with a private investor for an MLS stadium and associated development at the property. Hard to see Mayor Carolyn Goodman—who did not meet with the A’s in this week’s trip—walk away from that deal and embrace a billion-dollar wooing of the Athletics. The big question, however, isn’t one that can be addressed by a site selection. Throwing around potential ballpark sites is easy. The hard work comes in funding for what will likely be a billion-dollar facility. And right now there’s no pool of money sitting around that would fund a new ballpark. Let’s begin with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), which is likely the most powerful economic player in the greater Las Vegas area these days. It’s not a secret that COVID-19 restrictions hit the LVCVA hard; the authority experienced a $210 million loss in revenue in 2020, cut its budget by $150 million and dipped into reserves to the tune of $27 million. Tourism is the lifeblood of the Las Vegas economy, and the LVCVA is still operating in uncharted waters: yes, we are returning to normalcy, but exactly when Vegas returns to economic normalcy when it comes to tourism is up for debate. In addition, the LVCVA put off a planned expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and that may be back for consideration in coming year, becoming a big part of the capital budget. County funding may also be off the table as well; insiders with Clark County say there’s no great appetite for funding a new ballpark, with tourist-tax revenues in decline. (The other reason for hesitancy: Vegas embraced the NFL because every NFL game is an event. People plan their weekends around traveling to an NFL game: fly in Friday night, party Saturday, attend the game Sunday and fly back Sunday night. Baseball, on the other hand, is not an event-driven sport. No one plans their travel schedule to watch the Las Vegas Athletics host the Tampa Bay Rays on a Wednesday night.) The same economic forces battering LVCVA also battered local resorts, and while conventions are returning to Vegas, resorts are still looking at a rough 2021 and 2022: again, it’s hard to say when and if the Vegas tourism economy returns to normal. (The rise of hybrid events is very bad news for Vegas officials.) Is there a resort owner with the wherewithal to commit a billion dollars to a new ballpark? Meeting with Phil Ruffin about a potential ballpark site at Circus Circus (yes, sportswriters, the jokes will write themselves) is one thing, but convincing him to put out a billion dollars for a new ballpark is another. So let’s acknowledge that finding funding for a new Vegas ballpark will be difficult. And let’s also acknowledge that one benefit of a Vegas run is to put some pressure on Oakland and Alameda County officials to make a deal for a new Howard Terminal waterfront site. It’s hard to say whether they are feeling a whole lot of pressure. The Oakland City Council is set to discuss a potential term sheet for a new ballpark on July 20, but Alameda County—which has been asked to weigh in on any ballpark project—won’t even schedule a vote before September. What the A’s are requesting keeps growing in complexity and now includes two different tax districts (one covering the Howard Terminal development site, one for infrastructure in the general area). The July 20 meeting could well lead to some sort of non-binding agreement but won’t come close to settling any issues. But hey, if Vegas and Howard Terminal don’t work out, there’s always Vancouver, where 60 percent of British Columbia baseball fans like the idea of Major League Baseball in their province. That’s before seeing the price tag for a new ballpark, of course. Everyone loves a free milkshake.
Seems to me the A's are staying in Oakland but there are issues.... Paywall so I copied it below. https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/07/02/oakland-unveils-its-terms-for-howard-terminal-ballpark-project OAKLAND — In a report issued Friday, Oakland administrators laid out sticking points in the term sheet being negotiated by the A’s and city, namely over proposed tax districts to fund infrastructure costs, arguing that without financial help from Alameda County the $12 billion development could be in jeopardy. The city is also asking the A’s to sign a non-relocation agreement lasting at least 45 years. A committee of the Oakland City Council on Wednesday plans to review the report at a study session meeting, the first in-depth exploration of the project terms before council members. It comes ahead of a critical July 20 meeting of the full City Council, which is expected to vote on a non-binding term sheet with the A’s, who are threatening to leave if there are any delays. The report released Friday is in response to a term sheet the A’s put out in April outlining their vision to reach a development agreement for the proposed $12 billion project, which includes a privately-financed $1 billion, 35,000-seat ballpark, 3,000 housing units, hundreds of hotel rooms, commercial and retail space and open space and a performing arts center. According to the report by project manager Molly Maybrun, most of the terms contained in the A’s term sheet were negotiated and mutually agreed upon in private meetings over the past year, but there is not consensus on the team’s proposed financial plan. The A’s want Oakland to create two tax districts, one specific to the Howard Terminal site and the other spanning a mile-and-a-half section of Jack London Square, mostly between the Nimitz Freeway and the waterfront between Oak Street and Mandela Parkway. If formed, properties within the so-called “enhanced infrastructure financing districts” are assessed, and the tax money from annual increases in their value is funneled directly into project-related uses and affordable housing instead of being distributed entirely to local governments and special districts. The revenue generated from the two districts would be used to repay the A’s for infrastructure costs. At a meeting before the Alameda County Board of Supervisors last month, Assistant City Administrator Betsy Lake said it would not be “fiscally responsible” for the city to create a tax district outside the project site, in adjacent Jack London Square. Currently, the city receives about $73,000 a year in its share of property taxes from the Howard Terminal site. Oakland officials project that over 16 years the city’s annual property tax revenue would jump to $11.5 million. But it’s “unknowable” whether any increase in property value in Jack London Square could be attributed directly to the waterfront ballpark development, officials said last month. The city has asked Alameda County to opt in to the tax district to contribute its share of property tax revenue to fund infrastructure. In documents included in the Tuesday meeting packet, Oakland city administrators say without help financial from the county, the proposed development is “most likely” a “dead deal.” Alameda County can opt in to the proposed tax district at any time. The Board of Supervisors last month would not commit to join the development’s funding plan and are not scheduling a vote until September at the earliest, to allow county staff to review the matter. A’s President Dave Kaval, in an interview Friday, said the team “feels strongly that both (tax districts) are necessary for the project to work,” including to fund off-site affordable housing. “It remains concerning to us that their counter proposal relies completely on the county,” Kaval said. Mayor Libby Schaaf, in a prepared statement, said the “report shows how we can structure a development deal that protects our taxpayers” while keeping the A’s in Oakland and transforming the city’s waterfront. “We believe that only the tax revenues generated by the ballpark development itself should be used to invest in the project’s much-needed public infrastructure and community benefits, in a way that never puts the City or County’s general funds at risk,” Schaaf said. City staff is also recommending the A’s enter into a binding non-relocation agreement for the life of the infrastructure tax districts expected to last 45 years. So far, the A’s have agreed to only a 20-year term, contingent on no increase in city taxes, the report released Friday said. Under the city’s proposal, any new owner would be subject to the non-relocation agreement. The A’s have agreed to that provision. Kaval said Friday the A’s are open to a non-relocation agreement but it would need MLB authorization. “I am solely not authorized to agree to something like that,” he said. “We have been very clear we think a non-relocation agreement makes sense and we are willing to have one.” The study session begins at 10 a.m. Wednesday and members of the public can access the meeting virtually on Zoom. Council members Carroll Fife, Noel Gallo, Loren Taylor and chair Dan Kalb sit on the committee. The A’s and city officials will continue to negotiate the term sheet before presenting recommendations before Oakland City Council on July 20.
A's looking at Plan B: A temp move to Summerlin in a new $150M stadium, then build a new stadium somewhere near the strip. I've been to a game there and as a minor league stadium, its one of the best. They say the locker rooms in Vegas are better than Oakland has. Vegas is the minor league team of Oakland so players go back and forth all the time. Oakland A’s exploring possible temporary stint at Las Vegas Ballpark https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/baseball/oakland-as-exploring-possible-temporary-stint-at-las-vegas-ballpark-2396397/ If the Oakland Athletics aren’t able to strike a deal for a new ballpark in Northern California and find their way to Las Vegas, they could play in Southern Nevada even before a new stadium is built in the area. With the A’s lease at RingCentral Coliseum expiring in 2024, the Major League Baseball franchise could utilize its Triple-A affiliate’s home, Las Vegas Ballpark, on a temporary basis. Team officials acknowledge that the potential to play at the 10,000-seat stadium that opened in 2019 is being looked at as part of the team’s due diligence work in Las Vegas. “That’s something we’re exploring as a possibility, because it’s hard to know how long these things are going to take,” said A’s president Dave Kaval. “We would have to understand all the different options and when things could occur. But since there is such a state-of-the-art facility already there, it’s at least an option.” The $150 million ballpark, home to the Las Vegas Aviators, includes various seating options including 22 suites, 400 club-level seats and hundreds of party deck seats, in addition to an outfield pool area and a grass berm next to that.
Even if they approve it, it will take at least 5 years before they move in. What they approving is a complete make over of West Oakland and the shipping docs. The A's get like 6000 fans a game now. If they move to Vegas in their minor league stadium with a little bit of changing they can get 20K a game next year in a stadium that is nicer then the one they currently play in. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/18/sports/baseball/oakland-athletics-las-vegas.html ‘If They Don’t Approve It, It’s Over’ A vote on Tuesday could be the final straw that pushes the Athletics out of Oakland. For a nomadic team that has moved twice before, everything old is new again.
Vegas Aviators' field for a limited time would feel like exhibition games. It would get fans closer to the players, and the charm of AAA ball would be there. I'd get sloppy drunk at a game or two. Without delving into P&R, we know why Oakland is a longshot.
I like the Aviators field. The seats are nice, its clean, its easy to park. and you can sit really close to the field. All they would need is to add some outfield seats and get another 3-4K seats in the house. The A's minor league players who move up to Oakland say the Aviators locker room is much better than at Oakland. Let's face it-- there Oakland's stadium is in the pits. The A's refuse to build a new stadium there and that's been the problem for years. But who knows? Its a toss up. My feeling is the A's heard about a lot of investment from the LV side if they decide to move. They are getting the opposite from Oakland.
The 15 Cities Where Your Tax Dollars Paid for Billion-Dollar Stadiums Vegas is in at #4 Maybe those increasing resort fees can cover it LOL The A's and Portland were in talks a few years ago according to Forbes Canzano: Oakland A’s set to come to Portland on a baseball fact-finding mission a few months ago but the protests may have soured the only other viable location.
In this matter and many others, if you'll forgive my bias, my view is that the power of the Las Vegas economic engine can not be denied.
