Tag: Las Vegas Review Journal

Headline Sports podcast Bruce MacGowan Sun Apr 27, 2025; Williams is what 49ers are looking for on defense; Raiders Jeanty could wind up being leading running back; plus more news

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San Francisco 49ers newest running back Mykel Williams is all smiles after being the first round draft pick and the 11th overall. Williams was addressing the media on Fri Apr 25, 2025 at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara (AP News photo)

Headline Sports podcast Bruce MacGowan:

#1 Bruce, the San Francisco 49ers made it their mission to get first round draft pick pass rusher Mykel Williams. The 49ers had their eye on Williams but pumped the brakes two seasons ago because Williams had suffered an high ankle sprain. He recovered since and 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan hope to use Williams as a key and core person on the 49ers defense.

#2 The Las Vegas Raiders made a great choice in getting running back Ashton Jeanty as their top pick in the draft. Jeanty was one of the most effective running backs in college football last season at Boise State and Raiders head coach Pete Carroll is confident that Jeanty will end up being the number one running back for the Raiders in the future.

#3 The Las Vegas Review Journal ran a headline that the Athletics still have not come up with the $1.75 billion as the A’s had said in a March 5th Las Vegas Stadium Authority meeting that the would have the money and would be ready by June to have shovels in ground. The article questions when will the A’s fund the park and there is a possibility it may not happen.

#4 The Golden State Warriors Jimmy Butler is still questionable for game 4 for Monday night against the Houston Rockets at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Butler who suffered a lower back contusion after getting his legs taken out from beneath him and missed game 3. Can Butler return and be playoff competitive Monday.

Bruce MacGowan is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Vegas Mayor says A’s belong in Oakland; Schools over Stadiums ready to move language for petition drive to stop A’s ballpark funding

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The Tropicana Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas the future home with the Las Vegas A’s hoping to break ground in April 2025. The issue of private financing has been so off schedule and unorganized that Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman has said the “plans don’t make sense” (Las Vegas Review Journal file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, because of all the lawsuits the Oakland A’s might lose the public money because of all the lawsuits and the Schools over Stadiums initiative ballot that stops using public money that could make the public ballot. This money is only earmarked for the Tropicana location and no where else. The A’s might be having problems figuring how to get a ballpark on nine acres at the Trop.

#2 MLB had no comment after Las Vegas Mayor Goodman said that the A’s ought to stay in Oakland.

#3 Mayor Goodman can read between the lines as the reaction at the Chamber of Commerce meeting was cold and talk has been the business community now has it’s doubts about the A’s since owner John Fisher has been going hat in hand looking for financial support.

#4 It’s Super Bowl week Amaury, and you would think the biggest news in Vegas would be about the Big Game but now the Oakland A’s are a headline with the Mayor saying the A’s shouldn’t come to Vegas but stay in Oakland.

#5 Amaury, the Last Dive Bar and Oakland 68s who are strong A’s fan groups are holding a Fan Fest at Jack London Square in downtown Oakland proceeds will help with legal fees toward Schools over Stadiums in Las Vegas to stop the use of public money to finance the ballpark. The first step of success is Schools over Stadium had Oakland A’s fans raise enough money to cover Schools over Stadium’s legal fees to get language to stop the public funding and get a petition drive to get initiative on the ballot for the Nov 2024 election not to mention that Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo has been named as a defendant by Schools over Stadiums.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s owner John Fisher, spoke at Las Vegas event- -It is like the Groundhog Day movie; Fisher open to selling shares of team

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Mary Beth Sewald president/CEO of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce (left) and Oakland A’s owner John Fisher (right) sit down to discuss the A’s move to Las Vegas and all the ballpark intangibles at the Fontainebleau Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Wed Jan 24, 2024 (photo by Nevada Independent)

A’s owner, John Fisher, spoke at the Las Vegas event– It is like the Groundhog Day movie

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

The first public comments by A’s owner, John Fisher, were made on Wednesday in Las Vegas. He said he would like local Las Vegas investors to help him pay for the $1.5 billion A’s stadium at the Tropicana hotel-casino location on the Strip. Fisher spoke for about 20 minutes at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce event. He wants to find local capital for the stadium in Las Vegas as a way of engaging his new city.

He said about the Las Vegas park renderings: “We’ll release our renderings when you know when it’s the right time to do so,” Fisher said.

Speaking about the funding: “That will be funded mostly with equity from my family,” Fisher said. “We would like to consider raising capital, especially from local investors. That creates a connection to the community, and we’ve seen that with many other teams become a successful thing.”

Meanwhile, back in Planet Oakland, Mayor Shen Thao’s office told the Las Vegas Review-Journal: “When the Athletics leave the Bay Area ahead of the team’s planned Las Vegas relocation, they won’t be missed.” The mayor’s office also responded to whether they have discussed extending the team’s Oakland Coliseum lease past its expiration date at the end of the 2024 season.

Leigh Hanson, Mayor Thao’s chief of staff, said no and then ripped into the club. According to the Review-Journal, Mr. Hanson added; “To date, they have not contacted or requested an extension to their lease from the Mayor, Alameda County, the joint powers agency that oversees the Coliseum, and perhaps most notably from the fans.”

The situation in Oakland is not a pretty one when businesses close because of a spike in crime as they continue to make news nationwide, not how they wanted. As a matter of fact, the A’s story is not as crucial for the city of Oakland as the current situation, where some Council Members are now asking the Mayor to declare a State of Emergency.

When a profitable In ‘n Out Burger restaurant announces they are leaving Oakland because of too much crime in their parking lot, the Mayor has a bigger problem than the baseball team.

From Amaury’s desk: This whole story is extremely close to the script of the 1993 Hollywood film: “Groundhog Day” where a cynical television weatherman relives the said day repeatedly. Actor Bill Murray’s predicament drives him to distraction until he sees a way of turning the situation to his advantage. Las Vegas has become Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice 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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Las Vegas Stadium Authority negotiates A’s Lease

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The Oracle Red Bull grandstand and Koval hospitality as seen from the F1 pit Building during the media tour on Fri Oct 20, 2023 in Las Vegas. Formula 1 will take place on Nov 16-18. One of the top sports features in Vegas. Meanwhile the Las Vegas Stadium Authority are planning to demo of the Tropicana Hotel and Casino to make way for the Oakland A’s new ballpark. (photo from the Las Vegas Review Journal)

Las Vegas Stadium Authority negotiates A’s Lease

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Although the move of the A’s to Las Vegas has yet to be approved by the majority of MLB team owners, with a vote expected to take place this next month of November, the Oakland A’s are moving ahead of that vote and beginning to negotiate a lease with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, two law firms could get to share $1 million to negotiate the stadium lease agreement in Las Vegas with the A’s. This is the #1 item for next week (October 25) agenda of the Las Vegas Stadium Authority

The two law firms could get a combined $1 million to negotiate the stadium lease agreement with the Athletics, according to agenda items leading up to next week’s meeting of the Stadium Authority Board .If the current plans move forward, the Tropicana Las Vegas Casino Resort would be demolished and the stadium will be built on nine acres at the site.

Other development is expected to fill the rest of the Tropicana site, but on-site parking is minimal.

The same company that handled the construction of Allegiant Stadium, Mortenson McCarthy will be manager for the $1.5 billion, 30,000 seat stadium for the Athletics at the corner of Tropicana Avenue and the Las Vegas strip. Other companies involved to develop the lease agreement are Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP.

Since we are talking about leases. The A’s lease at the Oakland Coliseum expires after the 2024 season. After that (like they say in Vegas) “all bets are off”.

More sports news in Sin City:

-Las Vegas Champions: WNBA: Las Vegas Aces won their second consecutive WNBA title, joining the Las Vegas Golden Knights NHL reigning champions.

-Formula 1 -Las Vegas Grand Prix will take place from November 16-18 at a 3.8-mile track right through the neon heart of the Las Vegas Strip. (ESPN)

-Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium., February 11, 2024. (CBS)

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for News and Commentaries and coverage of the Oakland A’s relocation to Las Vegas at http://www.sportsradioservice.com