Las Vegas Stadium Board Expects To Approve Lease, Development Agreement For A’s Stadium On Strip At December Meeting
ADVERTISEMENT
Shop at Jay’s Market at 190 East Flamingo Road at the Koval Lane intersection east of the Strip.
ADVERTISEMENT
Story by Alan Snel Photos by Hugh Byrne
The public stadium board overseeing the A’s stadium project on the Strip heard Thursday afternoon about a proposed lease between the stadium authority and the MLB team that hopes to open the domed, 33,000-seat ballpark on the Strip in 2028.
There was no stadium panel vote on the lease. It was a draft and it could be on the Oct. 17 stadium board meeting agenda. Board chairman Steve Hill, also the LVCVA head, expects the stadium lease and development agreement to be approved at stadium meetings in December. The A’s will have to show their stadium funding plan for any lease and development agreement to be approved.
The A’s are leaving Oakland for Las Vegas because the Nevada Legislature approved $380 million in public assistance to help the A’s build their $1.5 billion stadium on the former Tropicana hotel-casino site. Groundbreaking is in 2025 after the site is cleared of all buildings. A’s owner John Fisher said he and his family are prepared to pay more than $1.1 billion to have the venue open for 2028 MLB season.
The board did approve paying UNLV nearly $2.4 million as compensation for the loss of net income for closing Sam Boyd Stadium, which used to host events like UNLV football games, motorcycle races and giant truck rallies.
The UNLV’s six-game schedule at Allegiant Stadium was also approved as a formality.
“What happens if we don’t approve it,” Hill cracked as a joke.
The UNLV Rebels play Utah Tech in their home-opener.
Here’s a scorecard of the number events at the stadium. There was about a 20,000 fans, for example, at the Raiders practice at the stadium last night.
Hill said the A’s will have the right to buy their stadium at fair market price after the end of a lease. The lease is 30 years.
About 20 people, including LVCVA staffers, were in the stadium board meeting audience.
The Athletics had executive Sandy Dean attend, but he did not address the stadium board.
The A’s are leaving Oakland for Las Vegas because the Nevada Legislature approved $380 million in public assistance to help the A’s build their $1.5 billion stadium on the former Tropicana hotel-casino site. Groundbreaking is in 2025 after the site is cleared of all buildings.
The A’s are trying to plant roots in the Las Vegas market. The team donated $30,000 to the Vegas teachers superstore where teachers can buy classroom supplies. It’s a second donation to schools by the MLB team.
