Tag: Schools over Stadiums

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

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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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Lawsuit filed against Nevada Schools Over Stadiums; A’s lobbyists say educators leave out crucial information on petition measure

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Laborers Union Local 872 retired political director of Laborers Thomas Morely is one of the plaintiffs who filed a challenge in First District Court of Carson City challenging Schools over Stadiums from putting an initiative on the Nevada ballot to stop public funding of the Tropicana Hotel Ballpark for the Oakland A’s. If Schools over Stadiums get enough signatures in four Nevada districts the measure would go on the ballot Nov 2025. A no vote against funding the ballpark with public money would stop the ballpark funding unless the A’s can raise the money privately. (photo from Laborers International Union 872)

Lawsuit filed against Nevada School Over Stadium

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

ByAmaury Pi-González

A Lawsuit by two labor leaders in Nevada challenges the Nevada teacher union-led PAC “School Over Stadium.” A petition to repeal public funding for the new proposed stadium for the Oakland A’s in Las Vegas. Who filed it? Once the head of the Nevada AFL-CIO, Danny Thompson was joined by Thomas Morley, a retired political director of Laborers Local 872.

Morley is currently a private consultant. The filing took place in the 1st District Court in Carson City, the capital of the State of Nevada, where all legal challenges are filed. Oakland A’s representatives deferred comment to the attorney working on the case.

According to The Independent of Nevada, Bradley Schrager represented a broad, emerging coalition of business and labor interests. The Oakland A’s are part of that coalition, according to Mr.Schrager, who said, “SB1 passed with majorities in both houses,” referring to the bill that authorized public financing to help the A’s construct a 33,000-seat ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip. “The governor approved it, so it’s no surprise that support exists.”

The lawsuit argues that the School Over Stadiums petition “doesn’t include the full text of the proposal as required by Nevada State Constitution and alleges the referendum is “inaccurate, misleading and argumentative, and therefore is legally inadequate and does not meet the requirement of Nevada State law.”

This is a battle between the educators in Nevada (not all but the School Over Stadium group) vs. Labor and Business interests in Nevada. Organized labor backed the A’s when the bill was before the Legislature. The Southern Nevada Building Trades has a project labor agreement with A’s for the ballpark construction.

Culinary Workers Local 226 has an agreement with the team to organize workers at the stadium once it opens. The A’s were also the main sponsors of the Nevada AFL-CIO Convention in August at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno.

The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 is the largest labor union in Nevada and alongside the Bartenders Union Local 165, represents 60,000 guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, laundry and kitchen workers statewide in Nevada.

This is very interesting, schools are very important any place in the country, but Nevada is the one place in the US where the hospitality business has ruled since Las Vegas was founded from the days of the first hotel resort, El Rancho Vegas, on the Las Vegas Strip in 1941, to this day.

Could the Schools over Stadiums group have been late to the party? The PAC behind the ballot measure was launched in June by the Nevada State Education Association following the approval of SB1. The Legislature approved the funding bill, and the A’s are waiting for Major League Baseball to vote for the team’s relocation request, which the Commissioner expects to take place this November, with the beginning of the construction of the new Las Vegas ballpark in early 2024.

In 2024, the American League schedule calls for the Oakland A’s to play their 81 home games at the Oakland Coliseum, where they have been playing since 1968. So what happens now? Who is going to win this? Only God knows when lawyers decide this type of stuff; if you do not understand it, you are not alone. Q:What do you get when you cross the Godfather with a lawyer? A: An offer you can’t understand.

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: Schools over Stadiums needs funding to get petitions signed in Nevada

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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

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

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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: Nevada Schools over Stadiums initiative could be last line of defense to save A’s in Oakland

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A benefit gathering to stop the use of Nevada public funds to build a Las Vegas A’s new stadium at the Tropicana and to get a referendum on the Nevada ballot to stop use of public funds for the ballpark. Members from Schools over Stadiums, the Oakland 68s, also former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan (in purple dress), and the Nevada State Education Association president Dawn Ectheverry to Quan’s right . (photo from @jeanquan)

On the A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel the Nevada Schools over Stadiums group who are ran by the Nevada State Education Association. The NSEA held a fund raising benefit for Schools over Stadiums which included the Oakland 68s a Oakland A’s fan group who are pushing the green Sell shirts and for A’s owner John Fisher to sell the A’s to someone that will keep them in Oakland. The benefit included former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan and NSEA president Dawn Etcheverry. The benefit was on Thu Aug 17 in Oakland.

#2 Quan said that she is confident that the referendum will have enough signatures to make it on the ballot for spring and the former mayor said that it has a good chance of winning.

#3 Etcheverry said some districts in Nevada are starting the school year with 40% or more in teacher vacancies. Nevada has the highest teacher vacancies in the nation and are number 49 in education.

#4 Former San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly said that despite state increases Nevada teachers remain amongst the lowest in the US with the largest class sizes.

#5 Schools over Stadiums are asking the public’s in help to fund the campaign to fight the Nevada State legislature who are planning to give the A’s $380 million in public funds for the Tropicana ballpark.

#6 The teachers from the NSEA, Mayor Quan, and the Oakland 68s will be at the Oakland Coliseum for the next reverse boycott this Sat Aug 19 vs. the Baltimore Orioles and they will be seeking the A’s fans support for the ballot initiative to stop the use of public funding for the Vegas ballpark over education.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Las Vegas visitors president Hill says School vote won’t make the Jan 2024 deadline; plus more A’s news

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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. Hill said that the attempted Nevada ballot measure to stop using public money to build a brand new Tropicana ballpark will be past the MLB owners vote to relocate the A’s. Schools over Stadiums are pushing education over spending $380 million for a new Las Vegas A’s park the election is in Nov 2024. (Nevada Independent photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

#1 Amaury, Steve Hill who Las Vegas Convention and Visitors president said that the Schools over Stadium initiative will not do any good as the vote would take well after the Jan 1, 2024 deadline by that time the A’s would have submitted their renderings to MLB for the owners to vote on the new Las Vegas Park. The Schools over Stadiums vote could take place Nov 2024.

#2 Hill said if it measure were to pass it would be past the owners vote and the renderings being submitted in November and December would be when the owners would vote on the A’s relocation. Hill said that the A’s stadium project would forward even if the voters were to vote on using public funds for the Tropicana ball park.

#3 Hill also stated that it would be hard to get the initiative on the ballot and he doubts Schools over Stadiums can get on the ballot before the Aug 10th deadline and if they were able too the vote takes place well after the owners approve the A’s relocation. It seems like there were many involved to try and stop the A’s from getting their relocation approved but it’s heading down the wire.

#4 Back on the A’s field the A’s surprised a lot of people with their two game sweep over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday and Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s edged out the Giants on Saturday and got two key home runs from Nick Allen on Sunday.

#5 Going into the series with the Texas Rangers tonight and coming off two wins against the Giants does this look like a momentum going into the series or Bruce Bochy and the first place Rangers will be just as tough as the Los Angeles Dodgers were for the A’s.

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

MLB The Show podcast with Troy Ewers: Gaurdians Bieber placed on 60 day IL; Former Giant Mike Ivie dead at 70; plus more news

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Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Cleveland. Bieber was place on the 60 day IL due to elbow inflammation. (AP News photo)

On MLB The Show podcast with Troy Ewers:

#1 For Cleveland Guardian pitcher Shane Bieber things are still not on track. Bieber who has not pitched since July 9th suffering from right elbow inflammation has now been place on the 60 day IL. Guardians manager Tito Francona said that while Bieber did not suffer a setback he is on track to return in September. Bieber was the 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner.

#2 Sad news Troy former San Francisco Giant first baseman Mike Ivie passed away due to ongoing health issues at the age of 70. Ivie was the Giants first baseman in 1978 and hit four pinch hit grand slams. Ivie set a Major League record when he hit the first two pinch hit grand slams.

#3 How difficult is the Los Angeles Angels two way player Shohei Ohtani situation? The Angels want to keep him but are listening to offers and so the Angels are on this fence. Ohtani doesn’t really want to leave Anaheim but on the other hand is also willing to listen to offers. Teams who have shown interest, the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants.

#4 It was Shotime for Ohtani on Sunday as Ohtani slugged his 36th home run of the season giving Angels fans what maybe their last look at Ohtani in an Angels uniform. The MLB Aug 1 trade deadline is approaching as this was the last Angels home game before the deadline. If it is his last game as an Angel Ohtani has given many a fan in the Southland the thrill of a baseball lifetime.

#5 The latest in the Oakland A’s-Las Vegas stadium saga is the battle coming from Schools over Stadiums president Dawn Etcheverry and a music teacher said public funds out of the State of Nevada budget should not be used for a billionaire from California. Reading teacher and president of the Nevada State Education Association Viki Kreidel said instead of spending $380 million out of public funds the money should be used for covering the large teacher vacancies, students have a fulltime educator in the classroom and instead of building a stadium Nevada should build classrooms for 30,000 students.

#6 Troy, the Schools over Stadium ballot measure could be the last defense to stop the Oakland A’s from leaving Oakland if the measure makes it on the ballot and voters vote no on $380 million public funding of a new Las Vegas A’s Tropicana ballpark.

Join Troy for the MLB podcasts throughout the 2023 MLB season at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O: Rangers Seager out with right thumb sprain; Dodgers Kershaw recovering from shoulder injury; plus more news

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Texas Rangers Corey Seager is on the 10 day IL suffering from a right thumb injury and had an MRI (AP News photo)

On the MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie, the Texas Rangers have put shortstop Corey Seager on the 10 day IL due to a right thumb sprain. Seager came up with the injury on Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers an MRI showed no structural damage.

#2 Charlie, the Dodgers really miss pitcher Clayton Kershaw he’s been out since Jun 27. Saturday Kershaw threw 40 pitches in a bullpen session and is expected to another one on Monday this time facing live hitting. Manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw looked “well” and said it’s a step by step situation on getting Kershaw to return. Kershaw has been going through left shoulder soreness.

#3 The Texas Rangers who had five starters at the All Star Game in Seattle in the middle of this month had right fielder Adolis Garcia out got hit in his right hand by Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller. Garcia leads the American League with 80 RBIs so there is little doubt that they’ll miss his bat if he is out for a length of time. X-Rays showed negative on his hand but Garcia is still being evaluated by team physicians.

#4 Charlie, tough break for the St Louis Cardinals Wilson Contreras who left Saturday’s game with a hip injury. Contreras slugged for two RBIs when he hit a double in the fifth inning against his former team the Dodgers. Contreras has to leave the game in the sixth inning and was replaced by Ivan Herrera.

#5 The Nevada teachers are serious Charlie they are in their third week of gathering petitions to stop the use of the $380 million in public money for the A’s new Tropicana ballpark and want to put public monies towards education. Nevada is 49th in education and the educators and teachers are looking for support from the voters. Charlie this might be Oakland’s last chance to keep the team in Oakland if the Nevada educators get enough signatures and pass the referendum to stop public money being spent on the Tropicana ballpark.

Charlie O does the MLB The Show podcast each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O: Rangers Seager out with right thumb injury; Dodgers Kershaw throwing bullpen sessions; plus more news

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Texas Rangers Corey Seager (5) seen here running the bases after slugging a bottom of the sixth inning home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Globe Life Ballpark in Arlington on Fri Jul 21, 2023. In the next game Seager on Sat Jul 22, 2023 was out of the line up due to a sprained right thumb. (AP News photo)

On the MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie, the Texas Rangers have put shortstop Corey Seager on the 10 day IL due to a right thumb sprain. Seager came up with the injury on Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers an MRI showed no structural damage.

#2 Charlie, the Dodgers really miss pitcher Clayton Kershaw he’s been out since Jun 27. Saturday Kershaw threw 40 pitches in a bullpen session and is expected to another one on Monday this time facing live hitting. Manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw looked “well” and said it’s a step by step situation on getting Kershaw to return. Kershaw has been going through left shoulder soreness.

#3 The Texas Rangers who had five starters at the All Star Game in Seattle in the middle of this month had right fielder Adolis Garcia out got hit in his right hand by Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller. Garcia leads the American League with 80 RBIs so there is little doubt that they’ll miss his bat if he is out for a length of time. X-Rays showed negative on his hand but Garcia is still being evaluated by team physicians.

#4 Charlie, tough break for the St Louis Cardinals Wilson Contreras who left Saturday’s game with a hip injury. Contreras slugged for two RBIs when he hit a double in the fifth inning against his former team the Dodgers. Contreras has to leave the game in the sixth inning and was replaced by Ivan Herrera.

#5 The Nevada teachers are serious Charlie they are in their third week of gathering petitions to stop the use of the $380 million in public money for the A’s new Tropicana ballpark and want to put public monies towards education. Nevada is 49th in education and the educators and teachers are looking for support from the voters. Charlie this might be Oakland’s last chance to keep the team in Oakland if the Nevada educators get enough signatures and pass the referendum to stop public money being spent on the Tropicana ballpark.

Join Charlie O for the A’s podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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

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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