Tag: Nevada State Legislature

Sacramento A’s Relocation podcast Daniel Dullum: Set your alarm clocks A’s will break ground at 8AM Monday Jun 23rd in Vegas

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

This image shows a rendering of the baseball club’s proposed stadium in Las Vegas. AP photo

Sacramento A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 Daniel, the Athletics groundbreaking will be held at the old Tropicana Casino and Hotel on Monday June 23 at 8:00AM. Some question the time of the ribbon cutting being unusually early by press conference standards.

#2 Some said it could be a tactic to keep the amount of press away that will ask about A’s owner John Fisher’s construction costs and if he paid his share of the $1.75 billion yet?

#3 Do you look at this groundbreaking as a closer step to getting the stadium constructed or is this ceremony being done to keep the pressure off of the Las Vegas Stadium Authority when questioned when are there going to be shovels in the ground.

#3 A’s president Mark Badain said that construction for the Vegas ballpark started back in April and the A’s wanted to make Mon Jun 23rd ribbon cutting a celebration for the A’s and local officials.

#4 VIPs expected to attend the groundbreaking Mon Jun 23rd, A’s owner John Fisher, Badain, Las Vegas Stadium Authority president Steven Hill, Nevada State Legislature, members of the Clark County Commission and Governor Joe Lombardo.

#5 The Stadium Authority report says the construction of the park will take 32 months and is expected to be ready opening day 2028.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s President David Kaval resigns; At one time Kaval had promised A’s would be rooted in Oakland

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

From left, analyst Jeremy Aguero, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill and Oakland A’s President Dave Kaval during a presentation to a Senate committee of the whole on the team’s proposed stadium funding during the 35th special session of the Legislature on June 7, 2023, in Carson City. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)

A’s President resigns

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

In a few weeks, there will be a change in the White House for a new President of the United States. Here in California, in the state capital of Sacramento, there are also changes, but in the world of sports, with their new baseball team, with just five days until the new year. Also, this was a change at the top, as Dave Kaval, President for the past eight years for the Oakland A’s, resigned to pursue new business opportunities in California. December 31, 2024, will be his last day with the team,

“We are grateful for Dave’s contributions and leadership over the past eight years. He guided our organization through a period of significant transition, and we sincerely thank him for his unwavering commitment to the team,” said A’s Owner John Fisher.” Sandy Dean, a longtime business partner of the Fisher family, will serve as interim President. Eventually, the team will hire a new President as they begin a search next year.

The A’s will play for at least three years in Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. Kaval, 49, served as the seventh president of the Athletics in the franchise’s 123-year history, which began in Philadelphia in 1901. Seven Presidents in 123 years for a franchise is not that many, considering the A’s are now working on their fourth city to be their home base: Philadelphia, Kansas City, Oakland, and Sacramento, with plans for Las Vegas as their potential fifth different city.

Although not a done deal if Las Vegas doesn’t materialize, Sacramento, who is scheduled to be in the Major Leagues, might be in the Major Leagues for decades to come as the A’s will have to settle there permanently, not what Mr.Fisher is planning for, but there is a possibility. Since in our country, only two things are certain “death and taxes.”

“I will be staying in California to explore new opportunities at the crossroads of business and government. I am grateful to A’s ownership for the opportunities they have given me.” -Dave Kaval. His resumé includes working for private business, government, and sports teams.

He has also taught Sports Management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business for the past decade. This should not surprise anybody because this team still transitioning, and not a surprise also, especially in professional sports, where Presidents, General Managers, Field Managers, and players come and go regularly. Only God knows where this is all headed. All I can tell you and make an easy prediction—actually with certainty—is that 2025 will be here in a few days. Happy New Year! Felíz Año Nuevo!

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Schools over Stadiums makes its point as Nevada prepares to spend public money for Warner Bros studios

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Las Vegas Stadium Authority CEO Steve Hill (left) and Oakland A’s president David Kaval (right) are seen discussing the Las Vegas Ballpark in 2023 (LV Sports Biz file photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 According to Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo said that parents should see his open letter about free school meals. Lombardo is trying to show that the state is doing something with public money to help schools at the same time using public money for the A’s ballpark.

#2 On Tuesday Schools over Stadiums representative Alexander Marks said that while Lombardo claims he’s transparent then why does he refuse speak to the press about the free school meals budget when they’ve asked for public comment proves the point that the State of Nevada and the Lombardo are not being transparent.

#3 Also on Tuesday it was announced that a Nevada judge will rule if it’s legal to earmark $380 million in public funds to help fund the Las Vegas A’s ballpark on Las Vegas Blvd and Tropicana.

#4 Marks writes on X Tuesday that if the State of Nevada were to a write movie about having a fully funded school system with 20 students per class it would be a like a rated F movie that requires billionaires to build their own studios without public money after news broke that Warner Bros wants to build studios in Vegas if the Nevada State Legislature approves a film tax for the studios. More public money being used for studios and stadiums instead of public schools.

#5 Marks also mentioned Las Vegas Stadium Authority CEO Steven Hill in last week’s meeting regarding the financial progress of the A’s paying for their share of the ballpark that “We’re rounding third and headed for home. There are not many open issues left.” Marks countered by writing on Schools over Stadiums X page, “Except for financing, final renderings, actual stadium location, the constitutional lawsuit, the 2026 referendum…yup very few open issues left”

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: A’s meeting with Coliseum officials still waiting to be put on the docket

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Tropicana Hotel and Casino in discussions with the Oakland A’s and the Hotel’s umbrella parent company Gaming and Leisure Properties are hoping to get A’s owner John Fisher’s financial obligation for the construction share settled. The Tropicana will stop taking reservations after the first week of April in preparation of demoing the hotel in April 2025. (photo by the Nevada Independent)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 No date mentioned yet when Oakland A’s team president David Kaval and other A’s officials plan to meet with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Powers to discuss the A’s extension beyond the 2024 season.

#2 The Oakland Roots and Oakland Ballers have expressed serious interest in playing at the Coliseum in 2025 and beyond if the A’s end up playing in Sacramento or Salt Lake City. There is still time to figure this out but the A’s do have first choice if they do plan to extend the lease after this season.

#3 In an interview with NBC Sports California A’s manager Mark Kotsay said he would never tell his player’s what to say when they are questioned by the media about the move to Las Vegas or the stadium designs or whether they prefer Vegas or Oakland.

#4 A’s owner John Fisher financing for Tropicana park: Fisher’s part of the construction costs are as follows, the A’s need construction plans and a timeline for the FAA as the park’s lighting and layout will front the Las Vegas Airport, private financing and development plans, a lease agreement, and a benefits package to present to the Las Vegas community.

#5 Amaury in your view are the A’s any closer to moving to Las Vegas than they were when the Nevada State Legislature had approved the public funding back in June. Do you see any road blocks here in March that could interfere with the A’s leaving Oakland?

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s lobbyists suing Schools over Stadiums for blocking Vegas ballpark public funding

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Las Vegas Tropicana Hotel and Resort Park renderings. The Park is expected to be ready for the 2028 season upon approval by the MLB owner relocation vote in mid November. If the Schools over Stadiums initiative makes the ballot and is voted down in Nov 2025 shovels could be in the ground as soon as Dec 2025. If it doesn’t make the ballot or A’s lobbyists win their lawsuit to stop the ballot measure shovels could be in the ground as soon as Jan 2025 (renderings from the Oakland A’s)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, Schools over Stadiums is being sued by Oakland A’s representatives for trying to put a measure on the ballot to stop the use of public funds that will go towards a Las Vegas Tropicana ballpark to the tune of $380 million.

#2 Schools over Stadium are seeking repeals of the State of Nevada’s funding to build the A’s Tropicana ballpark on the Las Vegas strip. Nevada is 49th in the US in education. During the Nevada Legislative special session where the A’s were awarded the $380 million public funding education was left out of the budget in June, Schools over Stadiums seeks to block the funds for the ballpark.

#3 The teachers group says that the state should have invested public monies for education and not a baseball stadium. At the time Schools over Stadiums were considering launching the petition drive critics of the petition drive said it would not impact they’re plans to move ahead to fund a ballpark in Vegas but now they are filing the lawsuit to try and block the potential ballot measure. If the A’s representatives weren’t so concerned before why be concerned now?

#4 Plaintiffs Danny Thompson and David Morely who filed the lawsuit in First District Court in Carson City against Schools over Stadiums because language in Senate Bill 1 are only in portions, the petition is invalid, the plaintiffs want the Nevada Secretary of State to block the measure from getting on the Nov 2025 ballot, block Schools over Stadiums from circulating the petition for signatures, and invalidate any signatures that have been collected.

#5 Defendants named in the lawsuit Schools Over Stadiums, its officers Dawn Etcheverry, Chris Daly and Andrea DeMichieli, and Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar in his official capacity. Chris Daly is a former San Francisco Board of Supervisor and is familiar with the Bay Area landscape and can explain how a move by the A’s to Las Vegas would have a tremendous economic impact Oakland and the greater East Bay.

Daniel Dullum will continue his Oakland A’s podcasts regarding the MLB relocation of the Oakland A’s to Las Vegas each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s report: Schools over Stadiums files petition to get initiative on ballot to stop public funding for A’s Vegas ballpark

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Rendering of the Las Vegas Tropicana Hotel and Casino ballpark. If successful the ballpark is expected to be completed by 2028 upon the approval vote of MLB owners in Dec 2023. Schools over Stadiums is attempting to put a measure on the ballot stopping public funding of the Vegas ballpark that vote could take place in Nov 2024. (rendering from the Oakland A’s)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Schools over Stadium a group who is working with the Nevada State Education Association filed a referendum petition to get a measure on the ballot that would prevent public funds to pay for a new A’s ballpark at the Tropicana hotel and casino on the Las Vegas strip.

Dawn Etcheverry who is president of the NSEA and Schools over Stadiums and is a music teacher said that the organization is committed to pursue every possible path to stop the use of public funds to subsidize a new ballpark for owner John Fisher and the Oakland A’s.

Etcheverry raised the point that the people of Nevada did not have a say in the process during the Nevada State Legislature special session on public funds use for the ballpark. Etcheverry said that the priorities to use public funding for a stadium over schools and education in the state are misguided and that Nevada is 48th in the state on education should be priority for public funding rather than spending those funds on the Tropicana ballpark.

Etcheverry stated that the funds should go to Nevadans who depend on that money to go to public schools rather than the ballpark. Etcheverry pointed out that the 82nd Legislative session overlooked the overcrowding in classrooms in the state of Nevada, the lack of teachers, and the state has ignored streams of incomes for schools and public education.

If there are enough signatures on the petitions from the four Nevada districts which includes Clark County where the A’s plan to build at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip. The measure will be placed on the ballot and if the voters say no to public spending for the A’s new ballpark the A’s move to Las Vegas could be dead unless Fisher can find $380 million in private money for the Vegas ballpark.

Jerry Feitelberg is an Oakland A’s reporter for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: Why MLB owners are taking so long to vote on Las Vegas ballpark

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Will owners such as New York Yankee owner Hal Steinbrenner agree to waving a relocation fee and having the Oakland A’s move to the smallest ballpark and TV market in MLB, in Las Vegas? (New York Post file photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said back in early June that the owners would take a vote on the Oakland A’s new Las Vegas ballpark by the end of June, here we are in the early days of July and the jury is still out is this just a matter of the owners haggling over the issues of the A’s relocating.

#2 The owners have to consider the pressure that the A’s must sell out every single event plus concerts and shows at the Vegas ballpark to meet their $380 million tax credit obligation running 30 years, in their view that’s a huge ask and some owners may think that’s just impractical.

#3 The other issue for the owners that doesn’t sit well is the A’s will be moving from the tenth largest market to the 40th smallest market in baseball the owners have always been conscientious about revenue and profit some owners think that this actually a step backward.

#4 The competitiveness of the sports and entertainment dollar is at hand and the A’s knowing this want to have a start time of games at 4:00pm PT because live shows and entertainment with dinner usually start at 7:00pm so the game would end in time for people to go to the next venue. This may not sit well with the owners because they may want primetime televised games for their own teams back east and have the A’s come on Pacific time prime time and there is no guarantee a 4:00 pm start time would sell games out. Is the 4:00pm start practical?

#5 There is also the fact that many Nevadans who were polled during the Nevada State Legislative special session at 87% voted no for public use of a new stadium. The group organization “Schools over Stadiums” is gathering signatures for a ballot measure to put education first. Education in Nevada which is 49th in the US. The measure would stop spending $380 million in public money over a new ballpark. If the measure makes the ballot for this November’s election and gets over one million votes to stop the public funding of the Vegas ballpark Senate Bill 1 would be dead and the A’s might be forced to go back to Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao to talk turkey again regarding Howard Terminal.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Were horses traded in the Nevada Legislature in order to approve the A’s Vegas ballpark?

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s have billboards up and around Las Vegas extending their congratulations to the recent NHL Stanley Cup champions Vegas Golden Knights. The A’s are already trying to make inroads in the Las Vegas community. (photo by the Las Vegas Review Journal)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Las Vegas Review Journal got a letter from a reader that says they rarely disagrees with the Journal saying that there will be new taxes and the Nevada tax payer will be on the hook for the new Las Vegas A’s ballpark at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino.

#2 Amaury, the paper points out, the average wage for the Nevada citizen $44,000, the average salary for a player is $724,000, while A’s owner is a multi billionaire. The paper goes onto to say that the citizens should not have to pay for a wealthy owner who owns a ball club.

#3 Amaury, a vote on the A’s relocation could come as soon as next week. This would be well ahead of the MLB drop date of Dec 2023. Will the MLB owners vote no because there is no share of relocation money to be divided or will they vote yes because the next owner who wants to move can do so without paying the relocation fee?

#4 Amaury, how interesting do you find it that despite 87 percent who were polled in a written opinion poll at the Nevada Legislature were against the funding of public dollars for the new A’s ballpark the Nevada Legislature had voted 25-15 in favor of funding the park worth $380 million in tax credits.

#5 Amaury, I know you wrote about this in your column yesterday that gambling is in the veins of those who live in Vegas and baseball is coming to casinos right outside of the ballpark and across the street from the park and that asks the question should lifetime banned players Shoeless Joe Jackson of that famous 1919 Chicago Black Sox team and former Cincinnati Reds player-manager Pete Rose be reconsidered for induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Amaury Pi Gonzalez if the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: MLB owners can prevent A’s move to Las Vegas

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks to members of the media following an owners’ meeting, Thursday, June 15, 2023, at MLB headquarters in New York. (AP News photo)

#1 Jeremiah, after the Nevada State Legislation passed the bill to pay $380 million in public tax credits for a new A’s ballpark in Vegas it’s now up to the MLB owners to vote on any last chance to keep the A’s in Oakland do you see any chance of the owners voting no on an A’s relocation move?

#2 It was reported that the Oakland City Council wanted to meet on making Howard Terminal a reality and save the A’s in some way or some form. How much is that effort just a day late and a few billion dollars short?

#3 How ironic is it that on the very same day last Tuesday the Nevada State Legislature voted yes for the Vegas ballpark and the A’s ended their losing streak at seven games?

#4 How disingenuous did MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred appear after saying he felt sorry for the Oakland A’s fans but shepherded the move from Oakland to Vegas with team owner John Fisher.

#5 Going back to the owners there has been speculation that a few teams and maybe not enough could vote no on the A’s relocation to Vegas.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Homeless A’s

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Oakland A’s could abandon the Oakland Coliseum ahead of their lease expiring which is at the end of the 2024 season. The A’s could play at Las Vegas Ballpark home of the triple A Las Vegas Aviators after this season if the Nevada State Assembly approves the Tropicana Ballpark on the Vegas Strip. (photo from thegreatgame.com)

The Homeless A’s

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Oakland is as diverse as any other city in its size in the country and has a much larger media market than Las Vegas. Yet Oakland is currently going through a serious slump and seems to be more often than not in the news with a plethora of negative news and many challenges (as listed below); trying to keep the A’s is just one of those challenges.

-Homelessness. According to recent surveys of Oakland residents, it is the most urgent issue facing the city of Oakland. Conservative estimates list at least 5,000 homeless people “living” in the streets and parks in Oakland. A’s night games at the Coliseum are averaging less than 5,000 per game. -Drugs in the streets.

According to the OaklandSide, Methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant drug, is on the rise in Oakland. In both its quantity on the streets and the number of people who die from using it, meth comes second only to opioids (including fentanyl and heroin) in Alameda County.

But unlike fentanyl and other opioids, which have buprenorphine as a medicated treatment option, there isn’t yet a drug on the market that can treat patients’ meth addictions. -Crime: Oakland, CA, is a city that unfortunately suffers from significantly higher rates of crime than the US average. For violent crimes, the rate in Oakland is 75.5 compared to only 22.7 incidents nationally.

Property crime is also alarmingly above the national average, with 81.2 occurrences in Oakland compared to 35.4 on a national level. Clearly, this city needs to take steps to ensure the safety of its citizens and reduce these high crime rates to improve the quality of life for its residents.

-Affordable housing: Once Oakland was a “reasonable city” regarding rental prices for apartments and real estate/homes. Not anymore. In February, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao fired Chief of Police LeRonne Armstrong from the city without a cause. Mr. Armstrong, an Oakland native, was one of the most popular chiefs of Police in recent history for the city of Oakland.

Oakland has had 12 chiefs of Police during the past 10 years. Oakland A’s and why the City of Oakland needs their baseball team to stay. It is good for their economy and good for the morale of not losing their third professional team during the last six years.

Considering all the stuff happening in Oakland in the last few years, Oakland needs the A’s more than ever today for financial and psychological reasons. Mayor Thao said she is “fighting for the A’s to stay in Oakland” this week.

During the negotiations in the Nevada Legislature, when lawmakers asked Oakland A’s representatives if they could not get the financing needed for their new ballpark, would the team reconsider going back to the table with Oakland, then Steve Hill, the CEO and President of Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, jumped in to clarify the A’s stance and said (quote) “If this agreement does not go through, they will look for other cities to move to.

They will not decide to stay, even if this does not go through”. The A’s moving to Las Vegas has the support of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and most of the biggest Labor Unions in Nevada, plus the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

Currently, the Homeless A’s are looking for a city to play their games, as they still hope to build a new park. Do the A’s need Oakland more than Oakland needs the A’S? Time will tell. Howard Terminal negotiations agreement with the baseball team expired during the month of May. Maybe owner Fisher will sell, maybe not.

MLB Commissioner Manfred has been very quiet during the past couple of weeks. The A’s are on pace to establish the new record for the lowest record during a season, that of the New York Mets in their inaugural season (1962), when Casey Stengel’s Mets ended with 40-120 (.250), finished tenth and last in the National League, 60 1/2 games behind the National League Champion San Francisco Giants, who went on to the World Series won by the New York Yankees in seven games.

Finally, but very important, about revenue sharing – The A’s would receive only a 25% share in 2022, a 50% share in 2023, a 75% share in 2024, and a total share in 2025. The shares in the last two years were contingent upon the A’s having an agreement in place for a new ballpark by 2024.

No agreement, no revenue sharing, My wife posed a very interesting question: With all of these back and forth, will the A’s be able to sign high-priced talent, to be competitive again? Las Vegas until next week: Joe Lombardo, Governor of the State of Nevada, has postponed the vote for the A’s stadium in Las Vegas and extended the vote until next week.

When lawmakers meet in these special sessions, a lot of horse trading goes on behind closed doors, like “if you scratch my back, I scratch yours”; they all want something. This recently elected Governor has publicly said he believes the A’s will be good business for Nevada. Did You Know?

The NFL Buffalo Bills, among the favorites to win the Superbowl next February, just got approved for a new venue under a cost of $1.4 billion, with $850 million paid by local and state taxpayers, for a franchise owned by multi-billionaire couple Terry and Kim Pegula. It is called the lure of professional sports.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead radio 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