We knew this was coming, perhaps for years: The Oakland A’s appear to be starting a relocation to Las Vegas.
The franchise that’s struggled after years of thriving in the “Moneyball” era with a low payroll has another, bigger problem: The Athletics desperately need a new stadium beyond the dump that is the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum — ranked last in our 2023 stadium rankings and rightfully so — but proposals and negotiations with Oakland fizzled.
Now? There’s a move that could signal the beginning of the end of professional baseball in Oakland and a new ballpark in Las Vegas. Let’s break down what we know as of Thursday morning:
The franchise signed a purchase agreement for land in Las Vegas
Here’s the reporting from the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
The agreement is for 49 acres at Dean Martin Drive and Tropicana Avenue, owned by Red Rock Resorts, parent company of Station Casinos.
“For a while we were on parallel paths (with Oakland), but we have turned our attention to Las Vegas to get a deal here for the A’s and find a long-term home,” A’s President Dave Kaval told the Review-Journal on Wednesday. “Oakland has been a great home for us for over 50 years, but we really need this 20-year saga completed and we feel there’s a path here in Southern Nevada to do that.” …
With a site now identified, the A’s will turn toward working on a public-private partnership with state and local officials.
The A’s have enlisted an army of lobbyists in Carson City for the legislative session. Kaval is one of them. Kaval noted their plan is still being developed and would be revealed at a later date.
Does that mean they're moving officially?
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred sent out a statement of support for the franchise, and the A’s confirmed the purchase in a statement that cited the fact that they’ve tried to build a new ballpark in Oakland but it didn’t work out.
Wow. A statement has been released by the Oakland A’s on the Vegas move.
This is happening. pic.twitter.com/AzudIWBVon
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) April 20, 2023
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said the city is done with negotiations after this
BREAKING:
"Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said the city is ending negotiations with the A's on building a waterfront stadium after the team entered into a purchasing agreement for a potential stadium site in Las Vegas."
By @SarRavani and @matthewkawahara https://t.co/46x779PKjw
— Demian Bulwa (@demianbulwa) April 20, 2023
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao says in statement the City of Oakland is "ceasing negotiations" with the A's and "moving forward on alternatives for the redevelopment of Howard Terminal." https://t.co/ka29N2U542
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) April 20, 2023
What's next here?
The plan is to be ready to play ball in Vegas in 2027. The lease on the Coliseum expires after 2024, which … I honestly don’t know what happens after that. Can the A’s renew for a couple of seasons? Play elsewhere for two years? It’s unclear.
Big baseball news overnight.
Oakland A's say they have a deal to move to Las Vegas by 2027. Plans for a new $1.5B, 30K-seat, partially retractable roof stadium.https://t.co/Y9fB1PtOuu— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) April 20, 2023
Here's some reaction
I can’t handle this A’s news. Its so unfair. We’ve put up with so much bullshit. For so long. And to rip this historic franchise out of Oakland hurts so much. I wanted to go to Oakland A’s games for the rest of my life, take my grandkids, etc. Just heartbroken.
— A’s fan Chris ⚾🌳🐘 (@MrChris80) April 20, 2023
you had one job and that was to keep the a’s in oakland. you PROMISED us that. now you’ve done the exact opposite. you’ve taken the team so many of us grew up loving away.
you’re an utter disgrace and a failure @DaveKaval https://t.co/OhnQ6jRxpB
— jack (@oaklandfan312) April 20, 2023
Congrats to the Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher.
After years of being cheap and actively not trying to win in Oakland, you get rewarded a billion dollar stadium in Las Vegas! pic.twitter.com/1mFDtN9JyE
— Devine Sports Gospel (@DevineGospel) April 20, 2023
Oakland’s ownership group is an utter embarrassment. What a damn shame for ball fans in the East Bay. https://t.co/Y5cmxMxXyB
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) April 20, 2023
Never forget that John Fisher chose this. He chose to take the 50+ years of history rooted deeply in the City of Oakland and drop it in the middle of the desert.
Without caring about the history. Without caring about the city. It was always about the money.#RootedInOakland
— Uprooted (@uprootedoakland) April 20, 2023
