LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — We now know which Nevada politicians received financial contributions from the Athletics Investment Group, the lobbying arm for the Oakland Athletics.
The A's, who are slated to move here, plan to build a $1.5 billion baseball ballpark — more of a baseball palace, really — at the current site of the Tropicana Las Vegas.
Last year, the team pushed for a public funding package to help pay for the stadium.
What it received was a promise of $380 million, which would be raised through a special stadium area tax district.
Because of recently disclosed financial statements, we knew that the lobbying group paid out more than $112,000 to 46 Nevada lawmakers.
Among the biggest beneficiaries were Clark County Commissioners William McCurdy II, Michael Naft, and Ross Miller, who all received $10,000 each.
Also receiving $10,000, according to state disclosure records, were Assemblyman Steve Yeager and Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro, both Democrats who supported the stadium package.
Some locals have taken to social media lately to voice their displeasure with the contributions.
On Wednesday, Las Vegas resident Frank Coontz was out doing some shopping when he took some time to reflect on the entire A's-to-Vegas saga.
The team hopes to be playing in its new ballpark here by 2028.
"[Politicians] don't think about traffic congestion, the road conditions here suck," Coontz says. "Nothing improves. They just improve their pockets and their bank accounts."
Michael Green, a UNLV history professor and an astute observer of Nevada politics, says the donations may not hold the sway that some think they do.
"I think in the realm we're dealing with, a $1,000 contribution, even a $10,000 contribution, is not going to change somebody's mind," Green said.
In order for the stadium to be built, the Tropicana would need to be razed, though there's no timetable for that yet.
The next update from the A's on their pending move to Las Vegas is scheduled to come as part of Preview Las Vegas, an event set for Jan. 24 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
Below is a list of the Nevada politicians who received donations from the Athletics Investment Group in 2023.
- Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod ($1,000)
- Max Carter ($1,000)
- Shea Backus ($1,000)
- Tracy Brown-May ($1,000)
- Reuben D'Silva ($1,000)
- Richard DeLong ($1,000)
- Danielle Gallant ($1,000)
- Bert Gurr ($1,000)
- Brian Hibbetts ($1,000)
- Melissa Hardy ($1,000)
- Sandra Jauregui ($5,000)
- Gregory Koenig ($1,000)
- Elaine Marzola ($1,000)
- Richard McArthur ($1,000)
- Erica Mosca ($1,000)
- Phillip P.K. O'Neill ($5,000)
- Claire Thomas ($1,000)
- Howard Watts ($1,000)
- Thaddeus J. Yurek ($1,000)
- Carrie Buck ($2,000)
- Steve Yeager ($10,000)
- Nicole Cannizzaro ($10,000)
- Richard "Skip" Daly ($2,000)
- Marilyn Dondero Loop ($5,000)
- Edgar Flores ($2,000)
- Fabian Donate ($2,000)
- Lisa Krasner ($2,000)
- Roberta Lange ($2,000)
- Julie Pazina ($2,000)
- James Ohrenschall ($2,000)
- Jill Dickman ($1,000)
- Natha C. Anderson ($1,000)
- Melanie L. Scheible ($2,000)
- Ross Miller ($10,000)
- Willliam McCurdy II ($10,000)
- Rochelle Nguyen ($2,000)
- Gregory Tim Hafen II ($1,000)
- Daniele Monroe-Moreno ($1,000)
- Alexis Hansen ($1,000)
- Brittney Miller ($1,000)
- Selena Elizabeth Torres ($1,000)
- Michael Naft ($10,000)
- Shondra Summers-Armstrong ($1,000),
- Venicia Considine ($1,000)
