LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Several reports indicate the Oakland A's days in the bay area could be numbered after a decades-long back and forth regarding a new stadium has become a baseball ultimatum.
Major League Baseball released a statement on Tuesday expressing its longtime concern that the A's current Coliseum site is “not a viable option for the future vision of baseball.”
The MLB has also indicated that if the current proposal for the Oakland A’s to get a new stadium does not go through, the team is to begin looking for a new home in a new city.
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Many experts and analysts believe Las Vegas is primed for a Major League Baseball team and given the recent success of the relocation of the Raiders, also from Oakland, the scenario is closer than ever before.
"We've had this conversation many times before, now it's getting maybe more real," said TC Martin, host of the syndicated TC Martin Radio Show.
Martin says the time, there appears to be momentum building for the team to finally leave and relocate to Las Vegas.
"I am a Northern California native, so I've seen this story brewing for the past 20 years," added Martin.
According to ESPN and the Associated Press, the team has requested the Oakland City Council to vote on a $12 billion stadium and waterfront development deal by mid-July.
If not, they are preparing to walk.
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"These leagues seem to think Las Vegas is a top contender, it is a pro-sports town and now they're seeing some potential and a Major League Baseball team could be successful here," said Mike Grimala, sports reporter at the Las Vegas Sun.
Grimala points to the recent success of the Vegas Golden Knights and, more recently, the former Oakland Raiders, setting up in Las Vegas.
"They lost the Raiders to us because we are willing to give them public-funded money and willing to pay for a stadium, it's something that Las Vegas is willing to do, typically, but Oakland just has a different philosophy they don't want to do that," explained Grimala.
The local Las Vegas public funding option remains up in the air.
There are additional questions including where a stadium would be built.
On Tuesday, Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom tweeted the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard looks perfect to him.
i have a basketball stadium going in next to the sahara, not sure about a baseball stadium but the southwest corner of the strip and sahara looks perfect https://t.co/x9JDAU36PZ
— Tick Segerblom (@tsegerblom) May 11, 2021
In 2019, 13 Action News reported the City of Henderson was in the conversation about a new home for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
At the time, the team was in a dispute over repairs and upgrades to their aging facility, Chase Field, in downtown Phoenix.
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Sports analysts also note that baseball has more than 80 home games per season, which is double that of the Vegas Golden Knights and almost 10 times the amount Raiders home games.
A baseball stadium may have at least 35,000 to 40,000 seats, which is more than double the capacity of T-Mobile Arena.
Allegiant Stadium has room for 65,000 fans on game days.
So far, Las Vegas has shown to have a supportive fan base with a slew of sports franchises that have set up shop.
"Like they say, if you build it, they will come," said Martin.
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"Right now we're in a situation where if there's a major league baseball team and they're interested in Las Vegas, I think Las Vegas is willing to make it happen," added Martin.
The Las Vegas Aviators play at Las Vegas Ballpark in Summerlin and are an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.
