Tag: Las Vegas

Sacramento A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s owner Fisher makes rare public statement regarding move to Vegas and Tropicana implosion

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

After standing 67 years (1957) the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas was imploded on Wed Oct 9, 2024 to make room for the incoming Sacramento A’s for the target dates 2028 or 2029 seasons. (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 Daniel, the Tropicana was founded in 1957 and was imploded Wednesday Oct 9th. The Tropicana was one of the longest standing hotel casinos in Las Vegas strip history. The now demolished lot will be designated for a new Las Vegas A’s ball park on nine acres and the rest of the property will used for building hotel towers and casinos.

#2 For preparation of the implosion of the two Tropicana towers that once housed tourists, dignitaries, guests, and those who stayed at the Tropicana just to roll the dice the public was kept away for safety reasons.

#3 The implosion lasted only 22 second and was livestreamed that included 555 drones and a fireworks show. The resort had closed on April 2nd just as the 2024 baseball season and what would be the A’s last and final season in Oakland.

#4 A statement from A’s owner John Fisher: “The demolition of the Tropicana is an important milestone in the process of bringing A’s baseball to the world-renowned Las Vegas Strip and the community of Southern Nevada,” said Fisher in a Baily’s news release right after the implosion. “We hope that, in time, this site will become a place of unforgettable experiences for fans of the game.” Some still doubt that Fisher can get his share of the construction costs and that the A’s will ever move to Las Vegas.

#5 It’s the first time a casino has been imploded since the Riviera was imploded to make room for the construction of the Las Vegas convention center. Only the Sahara remains standing as the last of the hotel and casinos built in the 1950s.

Daniel Dullum does the Sacramento A’s podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Boras says health and safety at issue with playing in Sacramento; Agent says A’s should work out deal with AASEG to stay in Oakland

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Major League Baseball agent Scott Boras appeared on 1530 KFBK Sacramento Thu Sep 12, 2024 saying that Sutter Health Park is a minor league facility and that Oakland A’s games should continue to be played at the Oakland Coliseum. Boras said that the players are not happy about the Sutter Health upgrades which includes artificial turf that will raise the temperature surface on the field and a much smaller facility for big league players. (photo taken Mar 20, 2024 by AP News)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 Construction at Sutter Health Park is being worked on for the clubhouses, weight rooms, family facilities, press boxes, and seats at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento to get it ready for both the Sacramento River Cats and Sacramento A’s for 2025.

#2 With the latest wrinkle last Thursday when baseball agent Scott Boras said the players are not on board with the upgrades including artificial turf being installed due to it raising the temperature on the field. Boras said that Sutter Health Park would be the only artificial turf outdoor stadium in MLB and with players being worth millions of dollars they could get burned sliding on the hot turf causing significant injuries.

#3 Another issue like the public funding in Las Vegas for the A’s Las Vegas ballpark the A’s need to get their share of the construction costs in order before the December deadline or that funding from the State of Nevada goes away . With the Sacramento ballpark if the players and MLB can’t get to a middle ground on playing the next four seasons on artificial turf and playing in a minor league stadium that also could end up being a stalemate.

#4 Boras said one of the best solutions is for the A’s to go back to the Oakland Coliseum where the players want to finish up at until the Las Vegas ballpark is built (if at all). Another scenario the new Oakland Coliseum property owners the African American Sports Entertainment Group can offer the A’s a good rental deal to come back and play at the Coliseum and offer to help build a stadium at the Coliseum.

#5 Baseball Commissioner said there is no deal in Oakland, Oakland is a dead issue, and MLB does not want to play at the Oakland Coliseum anymore. This is where the Players Association and MLB might hit a fork in the road over forcing the players to play in an outdoor minor league stadium with artificial turf and minor league facilities vs. getting back to Coliseum which the MLBPA want to play out until the Las Vegas scenario is worked out. This is a scenario that could go sideways and hold up the Sacramento relocation.

Jeremiah Salmonson does the Oakland A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s fans support in Sacramento is much stronger than Las Vegas

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s owner John Fisher (left) and Sacramento River Cats owner Vivek Ranadive (right) meet with the media after announcing the A’s will be playing their interim games at Sutter Health Ballpark in Sacramento on Thu Apr 4, 2024. Fisher could be reconsidering Vegas for Sacramento. (Las Vegas Review Journal file photo)

A’s fans support in Sacramento is much stronger than Las Vegas

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–The story that continues as a never-ending Telenovela on Spanish TV continues for the Oakland A’s, and although maybe not as long as the legendary soap ‘As the World Turns”. Rob Manfred , Commissioner of Baseball, is one of the forces that support the A’s leaving Oakland for Las Vegas.

From the very beginning of this story, Manfred has been a leading voice on the relocation idea. With Sacramento currently renovating Sutter Health Park, Manfred claimed that the A’s had received seat deposits from around 13,000 people. For the record: This season, the Oakland A’s are last in baseball, averaging 6,400 per game.

The people of Sacramento are showing interest in the A’s, while the people from Las Vegas are not remotely as enthusiastic. According to reports, Sutter Health Park is currently selling priority access to tickets for fans who put down a $100 per seat deposit on a season ticket membership. That is very reasonable in this very tough economy, where even a family visit to a fast-food restaurant is not that cheap anymore.

Sutter Heath Park’s capacity is about 14,000, including the outfield berms. However, Major League Baseball only considers fixed/permanent seats, no berms, and standing room unless the Commissioner makes an exception for the Rivercats Park in West Sacramento.

Time will tell how popular the A’s become in the State’s Capital, but this ordeal could end with the A’s moving to Sacramento permanently.

Do you wonder what the odds are in Vegas?

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s officials meeting with Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority today

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland Alameda County Coliseum will the Oakland A’s play their interim years from 2025-27 there before moving to Las Vegas in 2028? ( photo by Flickr Shawn Clover)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Oakland A’s officials are meeting today with the Oakland Coliseum Join Authority in trying to get the A’s an extension for the 2025-2027.

#2 The City of Oakland is asking for the team colors and an expansion team how practical do you see that happening.

#3 The Tropicana is closing April 2024 and Bally’s wants to demo the Tropicana in April 2025 to start construction for the ball park and the new Tropicana Plaza.

#4 John Fisher A’s owner has is working on getting $500 million for his family to help pay for his share of the construction costs.

#5 The A’s team president David Kaval compared the move to the Brooklyn Dodgers moving to Los Angeles. Fans said that the move does not compare with the fans in LA where they were thrilled to get the Dodgers. The Vegas fans have been mediocre about the A’s coming judging from interviews from the local and Bay Area media.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Relocaton podcast with Daniel Dullum: Kaval meets the media before A’s pre season game in Las Vegas

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Rendering of Las Vegas Tropicana ballpark part of the Armadillo series (renderings presented by the Oakland A’s)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel you had a chance to look at the future Las Vegas A’s Tropicana Ballpark which has been referenced as a Sydney Opera Place look a like or a Armadillo which Oakland A’s owner John Fisher seems to take as a compliment.

#2 It’s a multilayered roof which has area that look out from behind the home plate and the outfield window has a view of Las Vegas Blvd where you could see the New York New York casino and hotel.

#3 Ironically when Fisher gave comments about the Armadillo renderings he was speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle from his Jack London Square offices where the A’s dream of having a ballpark is all but dead once the A’s start play in Las Vegas in 2028.

#4 Fisher also said the financing has been figured out $380 million from the State of Nevada, $200 million will be money owed, and the Fisher Family will pay $500 million this would include equity investors. The catch could be whose going to be on the hook for the final $500 million. Could that come from another investor group or will Fisher have that unsolved for the rest of the baseball season?

#5 When you look at all of it Daniel and we’ve talked to fans and analysts like yourself it seems that Schools over Stadiums is a long shot but the last chance to get an initiative on the November ballot that would stop the public money for financing the Tropicana. The other is the lawsuit filed by Strong Public Schools who say the Nevada Legislature’s vote was suppose to be a two thirds vote not a majority vote.

Daniel Dullum does the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Fisher may not have the money for stadium; Sources say he’s been talking to other casino owners to chip in for the $1.1 billion cost

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Does Oakland A’s owner John Fisher have the $1.1 billion to pay for Vegas/Tropicana ballpark in Las Vegas? (photo by Athletics Nation)

On the A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Maybe it’s a good thing that Oakland A’s owner John Fisher doesn’t have to pay a relocation fee because he’s having a hard enough time trying to find $1.1 billion to pay for his share of the building construction for the Tropicana ballpark. So far word is he has not plopped down the $1.1 billion and that he just very well may not have the money.

#2 There was talk that he was going to ask Goldman Sachs for the loan to cover the cost of paying for the construction share but after learning what the interest rates for the loan that bit of news got really quite.

#3 The A’s and the Tropicana were supposed to present the renderings for the new ballpark but that was called off earlier in December after two Nevada Deputies were killed and a renderings announcement would be rescheduled. Then it was expected maybe mid December but here we are in the first week of January and the only thing we’ve heard is the renderings are supposed to take place next week.

#4 Sources say that the A’s and the Tropicana have been showing renderings to other Casino owners and from those sources no casino operator has been willing to put in his share towards the stadium financing. If this is the case Fisher clearly doesn’t have the money and is going with hat in hand up and down the strip.

#5 Schools over Stadiums who might be the last hope to stop public financing for a new ballpark on the strip has come out with their campaign push on their X page stating reasons why funding the Tropicana ballpark with public money over education is a bad idea. Schools over Stadiums is looking for voter support in the event they can get an initiative on the ballot that would stop public funding of an A’s Las Vegas Park. Whatever the outcome for Schools over Stadiums the fight is on.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s Work of Art

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo of art gallery containing Donald Fisher and Doris Fisher’s art collection who are the parents of Oakland A’s owner John Fisher (photo from Artsy)

A’s Work of Art

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Las Vegas most famous museums are The Mob Museum, The Neon Museum, the Atomic Museum, and the Discovery Children’s Museum. Now, the Oakland Athletics, planning to be the Las Vegas A’s in 2028, have a museum in mind for their new 30,000-seat stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.

According to the Las Vegas Business Journal, Athletics owner John Fisher plans to display a selection from his family’s acclaimed collection at the A’s stadium on the strip. For months, multiple sources familiar with Fisher’s design plan have included talks about developing an art program in Las Vegas.

The museum will display the art at the team’s new home at the Tropicana Hotel-Casino site. The A’s owner plans to exhibit these pieces of art in the team’s new house at the Tropicana Hotel-Casino site.

The Doris and Donald Fisher Collection, parents of John Fisher, is among the world’s most significant collections of contemporary art. This is according to SFMOMA website. The founders of the Gap apparel company began buying art pieces in 1969 in San Francisco after they opened their first big store.

Later, it was located in Burlingame, 20 miles south of San Francisco. Allan Schwartzman, a veteran Manhattan curator, told the New York Times the Fishers Collection is one of the great collections assembled in our time.

This A’s Art has nothing to do with Art Howe who managed the Oakland A’s from 1996 to 2002.

Amuary Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary weekly at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Orioles backs on the wall down 0-2 in ALDS; One bad game won’t make or break LA’s Kershaw; plus more news

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Texas Rangers Josh Jung (right) scores in front of Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (left) in the top of the second inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore in game 2 of the ALDS on Sun Oct 8, 2023 (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Baltimore Orioles find themselves in fix down 0-2 in their ALDS series with the Texas Rangers. The O’s lost to the Rangers in game 1 by a run 3-2 and then game 2 lots of runs scored but lost by four 11-8 and now they head to Texas for games 3 and 4. The Orioles had a good regular season but they seem to be hitting a wall about now.

#2 For the Los Angeles Dodgers in game 1 of the NLDS who would have thought that starter Clayton Kershaw would have got lit up the way he did in the top of the first inning by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Kershaw gave up six runs in the first inning, he got his first out after giving up five runs, and didn’t get out of the first inning before being lifted. It’s getting tougher for the Dodgers losing on Monday 4-2 down 0-2 but these are the Dodgers they could come back and maybe even this thing up.

#3 Corbin Carroll has been that big spark plug in the Diamondbacks line up and he gave them some punch in game one against the Dodgers. Carroll went two for five, scored two runs, had two hits and two RBIs and one of the runs scored he hit a home run.

#4 The Boston Red Sox fired their pitching coach Dave Bush and third base coach Carlos Febles on Monday. Bush had been pitching coach since 2020. The firing came after the Sox had posted a 4.52 ERA which was 21st in the Majors. The Sox finishing third place in the four of the last three years didn’t help matters any for Bush. Febles who is also an infield instructor was fired after the Sox posted last place above average in outs.

#5 According to Redfin projections 5,000 people moved out of Los Angeles to Las Vegas after the summer. The number dropped from August when 6800 people left the Southland to come move to Las Vegas. According to the report Las Vegas is the top city people are moving to from the Southland. Las Vegas is second city in the country where people are moving to behind Sacramento.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: Schools over Stadiums needs funding to get petitions signed in Nevada

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan and Port of Oakland Commissioner Michael Colbruno spoke at a fundraiser on Aug 26, 2023 to support Schools over Stadium Nevada initiative to stop use of public funds for an A’s new ballpark in Las Vegas and put funding for use towards schools and education (@MikeOpera photo)

On the A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, Dawn Etcheverry, a music teacher and President of NSEA and Schools Over Stadiums in Nevada is moving on a petition referendum to stop the use of public funding tax dollars that would be used to build a ballpark at the Tropicana hotel and casino that was approved by the Nevada State Legislation in June in a special session.

#2 Etcheverry said the petition is pursuing every path possible to stop the use of public funding to pay for the Tropicana Park for a future Las Vegas A’s relocation. Etcheverry said that the Nevada voters were shutout in the process and didn’t have a say in the use of public funds for paying for the ballpark to the tune of $380 million.

#3 The organization Schools over Stadiums goal is to make sure public funding goes to public schools and not the Tropicana Park and once enough signatures are on the petitions from four the Nevada districts including Clark County which Las Vegas and Tropicana hotel are a part of the measure to stop using public money will be put on the ballot.

#4 If Nevadans vote to stop the use of public funds to build the Tropicana ball park succeeds the funding for the ballpark ceases and the A’s will have to seek private funding if they want to continue pursuing Las Vegas. They possibly could go back to the City of Oakland and negotiate terms about building at Howard Terminal.

#5 If everything goes as planned Schools over Stadiums will have the vote in November 2024, one year and two months from now. The MLB owners are voting on the A’s relocation in December. If the owners vote yes to relocate the A’s, the Schools over Stadiums measure could hold up shovels in the ground at the Tropicana until the voters have their say in Nov 2024.

Daniel Dullum does the Oakland A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s Lose 7-3 to Red Sox; Sox do most of the damage with 5 run second inning at Fenway

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Mary Anne

The Oakland Athletics’ last series of their road trip was at the Boston Red Sox. The A’s began a three-game series against the Red Sox on Friday night. The A’s lost 7-3 to the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Oakland fell to 25-65, while Boston improved to 46-43.

The A’s starting lineup featured Tony Kemp, Jordan Diaz, Ryan Noda, Brent Rooker, JJ Bleday, Jace Peterson, Shea Langaliers, Seth Brown, Tyler Wade, and Sam Long. Long pitched just one inning and gave up three hits, three earned runs, one walk, and two strikeouts.

After a scoreless first inning, Boston opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Yu Chang singled on a ground ball to JJ Bleday. Alex Verdugo and Enrique Hernandez scored for a 2-0 lead as Triston Casas went to second base. Jarren Duran singled on a ground ball to Tony Kemp.

Casas scored for a 3-0 lead as Chang went to third base. Justin Turner singled on a line drive to Seth Brown. Chang scored for a 4-0 lead as Duran went to third base. Rafael Devers grounded into a forceout fielded by Tyler Wade. Duran scored for a 5-0 lead as Turner was out at second base, while Devers went to first base with two outs.

The A’s finally got on the board in the top of the fifth inning. Tony Kemp singled on a ground ball to Rafael Devers. Seth Brown scored to cut the Red Sox’s lead to 5-1. Tyler Wade went to third base while Kemp went to second base. Devers committed a throwing error.

The A’s inched closer to the Red Sox in the top of the seventh inning. Seth Brown homered on a fly ball to right center field. Shea Langaliers scored to cut the Red Sox’s lead to 5-3.

The A’s chances of a comeback were short-lived as the Red Sox scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Adam Duvall singled on a ground ball to Tyler Wade. Jarren Duran scored for a 6-3 lead as Rafael Devers went to third base. Alex Verdugo singled on a line drive to Brent Rooker. Devers scored for a 7-3 lead as Duvall went to second base.

Notes
A’s LHP Richard Lovelady turned 27 on July 7.

The A’s recalled RHP Angel Felipe from Triple-A Las Vegas.

The A’s selected OF Cody Thomas from Triple-A Las Vegas.

The A’s placed OF Esteury Ruiz on the ten-day injured list retroactive to July 6.

The A’s optioned and designated RHP Rico Garcia for assignment.

Up Next
The A’s and Red Sox will continue their series on Saturday at 1:10 pm Pacific. Starting for Oakland Paul Blackburn (1-1 ERA 4.50) for Boston James Paxton (4-1 ERA 2.70).