Oakland A’s Las Vegas Move Faces Resistance from Nevada State Education Association
Mar
Despite ongoing efforts by the Oakland Athletics to relocate to Las Vegas, hurdles continue to arise, further complicating the process. Owner John Fisher’s quest to secure financing for the stadium has hit roadblocks, with missed deadlines for releasing ballpark renderings adding to the delays. While the move seems inevitable, the journey has been far from smooth.
The latest setback comes in the form of opposition from the Nevada State Education Association (NSEA), representing teachers and educators across the state. NSEA plans to file an injunction to block the distribution of $380 million in public funds to the A’s, citing constitutional concerns. Chris Daly, NSEA’s deputy executive director of government relations, outlined their strategy:
“When it looks like there may be action coming at the Stadium Authority, we will likely at that point file our motion for an injunction. The injunction would be us asking the court to physically stop the project from moving forward.”
“We’re not relying on John Fisher’s ineptitude to kill this deal,” says Daly, addressing attendees at the fan-produced Oakland A’s Fans Fest. “It doesn’t hurt. When we finally kill the Tropicana stadium deal, it will be a combination of these Oakland A’s fans, our efforts at Schools Over Stadiums and Strong Public Schools, and John Fisher’s ineptitude.”
The reference to the “Tropicana stadium deal” pertains to the proposed construction of a new A’s ballpark on the site of the Tropicana hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Plans include demolishing the Tropicana to make way for both a new hotel and stadium.
The allocation of $380 million in public funds was approved last June, but the “Schools over Stadiums” political-action group is pushing for a public referendum on the use of tax dollars for the project. Opposition to such initiatives is common, and local sentiment against the A’s move to Las Vegas remains strong.
NSEA’s legal action requires gathering 102,362 signatures by June 26 to trigger a referendum in November aimed at overturning the public funding for the A’s. Negotiations for signature collection efforts are underway with the court.
The Athletics, coming off a disappointing 50-112 season, face uncertainty over their playing venue beyond 2024 as their lease at RingCentral Coliseum expires. Meanwhile, the anticipated opening of the new Las Vegas stadium is slated for 2028.
