Athletics potential stadium is approved by Nevada State Senate, Oakland fans hold reverse boycott

The bill financing the Oakland Athletics’ potential stadium in Las Vegas was passed by the Nevada Senate on Tuesday, clearing a major hurdle for the move.

Before the bill passed however, lawmakers amended the measure to strengthen its benefits for the community. The 13-8 Senate vote marks another step as the bill moves through the State Legislature while reviving the national debate over public funding for private sports clubs. The bill, which has the support of Governor Joe Lombardo, must now be considered by the state Assembly.

A’s representatives and some Nevada tourism officials have said the measure could add to Las Vegas’ growing sports scene and act as an economic engine. But a growing chorus of economists and some lawmakers have warned that such a project would bring minimal benefits when compared to the hefty public price tag.

Senate approval came after days of closed-door negotiations and a contentious hearing about the bill, which calls for contributing $380 million in public funding for the proposed $1.5 billion stadium.

The approval also came on the same day that roughly 27,759 Bay Area A’s fans staged a massive reverse boycott by buying tickets at the Oakland Coliseum to demand that embattled owner John Fisher sell the team rather than relocating to Las Vegas. 

The proposal to fund the Oakland Athletics potential new stadium passed a state senate vote

Fans held a reverse boycott outside of the A’s game in Oakland against the Tampa Bay Rays 

Fans came armed to the teeth with signs calling for the team to be sold and kept in Oakland

Fans like Brian Guido and Scott Finney of Sacramento each took off early from work Tuesday because there was no way they were going to miss the festivities a couple of hours away in Oakland.

‘I’ve been to only one game this year. I saw this game and I knew I had to come because I knew it was going to be very monumental and would send a message to the owner that this is what the fan base wants,’ Finney said. ‘They want the ownership to sell the team so they can remain in Oakland.’

Thousands of frustrated, heartbroken A’s fans arrived early for tailgating and solidarity at the Oakland Coliseum ahead of a Rays-A’s matchup to both celebrate their team and protest a planned relocation to Las Vegas. 

They called it a reverse boycott aimed at bringing as many people as possible to the ballpark, complete with bright green ‘SELL’ T-shirts made by local company Oaklandish going to the first 7,000 to claim the fan-planned giveaway.

A ‘We Are Here!’ poster provided specific instructions for every inning such as chants of ‘Sell the team! Sell the team!’ for the first Tampa Bay batter in the top of the inning and ‘Stay in Oakland!’ followed by five claps for the first hitter in the bottom half.

The drummers in right field made a rare return, too.

John Fisher has been pushing for his A’s to move since taking full ownership of the team in ’16

The A’s announced a couple of hours before first pitch that they will donate all ticket revenue from the game to charity, the Alameda County Community Food Bank and Oakland Public Education Fund – a totat of $811,107.

Mother and son Leslie and Justin Lopez walked together in their SELL T-shirts reflecting on how much the A’s have meant in their lives – 27-year-old Justin has been coming to games since he was 8 months old. He is devastated every year watching All-Stars depart to bigger markets in free agency or all the other stars get traded away.

‘It’s been so sad to witness. We feel like the historically disenfranchised,’ Justin Lopez said, embracing his mom.

Toddler Pepito Mendez, 3, of Pittsburg entertained himself through the action tossing a beanbag (featuring an emoji of feces) into the boards covered in facial images of Fisher and team President Dave Kaval.

Father Paco is considering canceling his season tickets for 2024.

‘We’re thinking of not re-signing next year because of this,’ he said. ‘Hopefully he sells locally. I wish I had the money for it. It doesn’t look good for us.’

Rays manager Kevin Cash appreciated the passion of Oakland’s fan base.

‘A´s fans are good fans. We played here, I think it was in ´19, in the wild card game and that was one of the best atmospheres I´ve ever witnessed in an opposing stadium,’ he said, ‘so if it´s like that, it should be loud and it should be fun.’

There was even a sign painting station in the southeast parking lot, where 13-year-old to-be eighth-grader Hunter Martini of Rohnert Park painted ‘STAY AND SELL.’

The fans could be seen in masses as they directed their anger at team owner John Fischer

The $380 million in public funds for the stadium would mainly come from the $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. 

Backers have pledged that the creation of a special tax district around the proposed stadium would generate enough money to pay off those bonds and interest. The plan would not directly raise taxes unless the county cannot pay off its bonds, as is the case with other general obligation bonds.

The A´s would not owe property taxes for the publicly-owned stadium. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, would also contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.

The proposed 30,000-seat stadium would be the smallest in Major League Baseball.