Report: A’s to visit Portland, Las Vegas as relocation options originally appeared on NBC Sports Northwest
The Oakland Athletics are planning visits to Las Vegas and Portland as they continue to explore potential relocation options, according to OregonLive.
A’s owner John Fisher reportedly will lead the four-person party making the trip Las Vegas this week. Team president Dave Kaval, vice president Billy Beane and executive Sandy Dean reportedly will be part of the group venturing to Portland in June.
The A’s, who have played in the Bay Area since 1968, have been pursuing a future stadium at Howard Terminal in Oakland for years. The team even released renderings of its vision for the ballpark as recently as February. However, MLB encouraged the A’s to begin looking elsewhere as the waterfront project has continually stalled since plans were first introduced in 2018.
“The future success of the A’s depends on a new ballpark,” A’s owner John Fisher said in a statement earlier this month. “Oakland is a great baseball town, and we will continue to pursue our waterfront ballpark project. We will also follow MLB’s direction to explore other markets.”
MLB says rebuilding the current RingCentral Coliseum site is not an option for the A’s. The team’s contract with the stadium ends in 2024.
“The Oakland Coliseum site is not a viable option for the future vision of baseball,” MLB said earlier this month. “We have instructed the Athletics to begin to explore other markets while they continue to pursue a waterfront ballpark in Oakland. The Athletics need a new ballpark to remain competitive, so it is now in our best interest to also consider other markets.”
The Golden State Warriors and Las Vegas Raiders have already moved from Oakland over the last handful of years, and team president David Kaval believes that should factor into the city’s decision to approve the Howard Terminal project and keep the team in the Bay Area.
“Well, I think it’s important to remember the commitment the A’s have made over the last four and a half years to Oakland,” he said. “You know, no other team has even tried to stay. If you remember what happened to the Warriors and the Raiders. So we have a very willing team and a league that wants a team here, but we need a partner in the city that wants to meet us at least part of the way there.”
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is among those hoping that the A’s make their way to the City of Roses.
If the A’s instead opt for Las Vegas, they would be the fourth professional sports team to arrive in Sin City since 2017, joining the Raiders, Golden Knights and Aces.
Max Molski contributed to this story.