The Oakland Athletics still have their sights set on a move to Las Vegas, but they are reportedly looking at a new location in Sin City.
The team made a deal with Bally’s Corp. to erect a $1.5 billion stadium at the current site of the Tropicana Las Vegas Casino Resort, multiple media outlets reported on Tuesday.
The Tropicana reportedly would be torn down to accommodate the new ballpark.
Last month, the A’s reached a deal with Red Rock Resorts to purchase a different 49-acre site just off the Las Vegas Strip, just west of the New York-New York and Excalibur casinos.
The team was seeking $500 million in public financing for a $1.5 billion ballpark the initial site. The Tropicana ballpark would carry the same price tag but would reduce the request for public funding to $395 million.
The latest proposal involves a 35,000-seat facility with a retractable roof. Bally’s intends to build a 1,500-room hotel-casino across from the proposed stadium, according to the Nevada Independent.
Major League Baseball has given its blessing to the A’s exiting Oakland, with commissioner Rob Manfred saying in a statement last month, “We support the A’s turning their focus on Las Vegas and look forward to them bringing finality to this process by the end of the year.”
The Athletics have played in Oakland since 1968 after previous stays in Philadelphia (1901-54) and Kansas City (1955-67). Oakland’s average attendance of 10,130 ranks last in the major leagues this year.
–Field Level Media