The Oakland Athletics are likely headed to Las Vegas, with stadium renderings released and an agreement in place with state officials. Now, in advance of a vote by MLB owners, details have emerged regarding the cost of a new stadium.
Oakland battled for years to keep the Athletics in the city, but frequently battled opposition and new hurdles during the process. As it became clear that owner John Fisher wanted to move the ballclub, the wheels were put in motion for relocation to Las Vegas.
- John Fisher net worth: $2.2 billion
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MLB owners are expected to vote on the proposal as early as June and the move will likely have overwhelming support because of the opportunities in Las Vegas. While the city isn’t close to breaking ground on the construction of a new ballpark, there is an early estimate for how much public money will go toward the stadium.
According to Gabe Stern of the Associated Press, the stadium bill introduced on Friday in the Nevada Legislature would mean upwards of $380 million in public funding would go towards the new stadium.
The total stadium cost is estimated at $1.5 billion, for a new ballpark that will have a retractable roof and seat 30,000 people. As Stern details, $180 million would come from transferable tax credits from the state with another $120 million in county bonds. Clark County would provide an additional $25 million in credit for the costs.
The new ballpark will be on the site of the Tropicana Las Vegas Casino and provide the city with its fourth professional sports team. While the Athletics plan to have a new state-of-the-art ballpark in Las Vegas, it will also be the smallest stadium in MLB.
Entering Saturday, the Athletics ranked last in attendance with an average crowd of under 9,000 spectators per game. Given the club’s impending plans to leave the city as soon as possible, attendance will likely drop even further in the months to come.