LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The president of the Oakland A's has confirmed that the team has entered into an agreement to purchase a location for a stadium in the Las Vegas Valley.
In a phone interview, president Dave Kaval confirmed to KTNV that the team is moving forward with becoming the "Las Vegas A's."
The A's are hoping to finalize the $1 billion deal with Red Rock Resorts shortly and get "a shovel in the ground next year and open a stadium by 2027," Kaval said.
While the team still needs to file for relocation with Major League Baseball, Kaval says the team has entered a "binding agreement" to purchase a plot of land on I-15 and Tropicana, near Allegiant Stadium.
"The success of Allegiant, T-Mobile, and the teams that are there now, we think a baseball team could be super successful there," Kaval told Channel 13.
The next step, Kaval says, is to finalize a public-private partnership with local elected officials to draw revenue for the stadium from taxpayers in the valley.
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo released a statement on Wednesday evening, expressing excitement for the team's arrival in the valley.
“Welcoming the A’s to Las Vegas would be great news for Southern Nevada as well as our entire state. The prospect of bringing new jobs, more economic development, and an exceptional MLB team to Las Vegas is exciting on many levels. As we continue to navigate this opportunity, I’m in regular communication with the A’s, Major League Baseball, legislative leadership, and local and state stakeholders.”
Clark County also released a statement on Thursday morning expressing its full support for the team's move.
"Clark County looks forward to welcoming the A’s to our region, and we are in full support of adding Major League Baseball to our growing sports brand. As we have said before, no one entertains like we do and our ability to host sporting events, both in the short- and long-term, is no exception. Our leadership at the county management and commissioner level has been working hard through important conversations with the team, legislative leadership, stakeholders in our region, and others to help ensure that the public investment in this opportunity is sound and right for the taxpayers we are charged with serving. We welcome the opportunity to more robustly engage in a public dialogue about this project. We are hopeful that the outcome of current and future discussions is a deal that protects taxpayer interest and dollars while fostering important community and workforce development initiatives into the future. We remain a committed partner at all tables to bring the right deal together for our community.”
