MILWAUKEE (AP) — Mark Attanasio, who chairs the Major League Baseball committee regarding the Oakland Athletics’ move to Las Vegas, said Tuesday that the group met a couple of days ago and will meet again later this week.
Attanasio, the Milwaukee Brewers' controlling owner, declined additional comment on the committee’s progress while speaking during a news conference Tuesday before his team’s postseason opener against Arizona.
“The committee, we are literally in the middle of our process, which therefore, I can’t comment,” Attanasio said. “Even if I were to comment, we’re still doing our work. In fact, we had a meeting a couple of days ago. We have another meeting scheduled this week, so we’re addressing it in a broad context and there’s a lot to address.”
The relocation committee also includes Philadelphia Phillies chief executive officer John Middleton and Kansas City Royals CEO John Sherman.
The committee will evaluate the team’s application, define the new operating territory and television territory, then make a recommendation to Manfred and the eight-man executive council. The council formulates a recommendation to all 30 clubs, which must approve the move by at least three-quarters vote.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred hopes the vote will occur during in a mid-November owners meeting in Texas.
The A’s said in April they planned to move to a ballpark to be constructed in Las Vegas and agreed the following month with Bally’s and Gaming & Leisure Properties to build a stadium on the Tropicana hotel site along the Las Vegas Strip.
The Nevada Legislature approved $380 million in public financing in June in legislation signed by Gov. Joe Lombardo.
Oakland’s lease at the Coliseum expires after the 2024 season. A new ballpark in Las Vegas is not likely to open until 2028 at the earliest. The team has not said where it intends to play until a new stadium opens.
