Tag: Tropicana Casino and Hotel

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Commissioner says there wasn’t a viable path to stay in Oakland

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In what should have been a happy moment for Oakland A’s owner John Fisher (pictured) and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in announcing unanimous vote to relocate the A’s to Vegas during the whole press conference from Thu Nov 16, 2023 they both looked uncomfortable and were apologetic about to Oakland fans at at times looking guilty (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said there was not a viable path to stay in Oakland even though it was Oakland A’s owner John Fisher and Manfred’s to remain in the Bay Area.

#2 Daniel, did you find it strange after all the criticism that the Tropicana ballpark got nationwide, that you didn’t hear anyone outside of MLB ownership or the Commissioner’s office say this was a great idea. You have to ask what was the motivating factor for the owners to vote 30-0 to approve the A’s relocation?

#3 A’s president David Kaval said after the vote last week when asked if Fisher is ready to pay his share of the new Las Vegas ballpark. Kaval said that debt and equity would come from the stadium funding legislation.

#4 Kaval also said that the A’s could play their 2025-2027 seasons either at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Las Vegas Ballpark, or at the Oakland Coliseum. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao the A’s could finish at the Coliseum but they would have to give up their team name and colors and the city would be promised a MLB expansion team.

#5 One motivating factor is Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo saying that Las Vegas is a sports town and having the A’s are an added addition for the Vegas sports scene.

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

Owners expected to vote yes on moving A’s this week; Could Schools over Stadiums be last hope to block move?

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Don’t expect this rendering of the Oakland A’s ballpark as this was a stop gap rendering last summer after the A’s announced they were moving to Las Vegas in Jun 2023. As of yet the A’s have not submitted a rendering or blue prints for their new Las Vegas ballpark and the MLB owners are voting this week to move the A’s to Vegas without a rendering. (Oakland A’s rendering of Tropicana ballpark location)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Major League Commissioner Rob Manfred sounded positive when talking to the news media saying that he is confident that the move by the Oakland A’s to Las Vegas will be just fine. “Vegas is a different kind of market. I think they’re going to be fine.”

It is expected that the MLB owners will get the anticipated 75% to move the A’s to satisfy one of two teams that Manfred wanted moved or get a new ballpark. The A’s failed for the new ballpark part in Oakland in Manfred’s view and is prepared to move the A’s to the Tropicana Hotel and Casino resort on the Las Vegas strip.

The A’s who have been in Oakland since 1968 have won four World Championships there. There was no saving grace that would have convinced the Commissioner that the A’s home should remain in Oakland. Amongst his complaints were the Oakland Coliseum is far outdated and when the sewage backed up and possums were making their home in the press box Manfred was at the end of his rope.

Manfred mentioned that Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao didn’t get anything resolved when she took office and MLB and the A’s had no other choice but to move the team to Vegas. Shao countered by saying that the City of Oakland was within striking distance of a deal with the A’s and Fisher just got up and walked away from a Howard Terminal ballpark deal.

Manfred gave a time limit to the City of Oakland to fix the Coliseum and when that didn’t meet his satisfaction he and A’s owner John Fisher started to research the Las Vegas market. Once they found a few viable location at the Rio and the Tropicana on the Vegas strip they had announced they’re intention of moving to the Rio and later the Tropicana.

The State of Nevada Legislation approved the $380 million in public funds last June and the A’s and MLB fast forward are confident that the owners will pass the A’s relocation request to Las Vegas this week in Arlington. If the owners vote to move the team as expected happens the last hurdle could be Schools over Stadiums who sought to have a petition put together for Nevada residents in four districts to sign.

Schools over Stadiums needs over Stadiums to get over 102,000 signatures approved by the Nevada voter registration to move the referendum on the ballot if approved by the voters in the November 2024 election the referendum would be put on the ballot in an attempt to stop the public funding for the A’s ballpark.

Although some owners for different reasons may not be excited about the A’s leaving the sixth largest media market in baseball to the 40th and smallest market with the smallest ballpark in MLB. Most likely they will as a group will vote for the move as they want to show they are all together as a business group. Also the Kansas City Royals are looking to move and build a brand new stadium in downtown Kansas City and the Milwaukee Brewers are getting $545 million from the state of Wisconsin. Any vote that would involve the owners they want show they are in unison as a group.

There is a lot at work that will have Schools over Stadiums on their heels, the unions in Vegas are very strong on bringing the A’s to the strip because of more job creation. The Culinary union is considered the strongest union in Las Vegas and are heavily behind the effort to move the A’s to Las Vegas. Other unions in Nevada are also on the push for the A’s to come to Vegas because of job growth.

Schools over Stadiums is seen as probably the last chance that Oakland has to try and block the team from moving to Vegas. After a hearing on Mon Nov 6th a Nevada District Court Judge ruled that the language in the petition for Schools over Stadiums needed to be cleaned before Schools over Stadiums can circulate the petition. After the judge disallowed the petition he advised Schools over Stadiums that they could appeal the ruling and they have enough time to get the language fixed as the petition must be ready before the June 2024 deadline to be submitted.

Manfred did pardon Fisher from paying a relocation fee which might be a long shot reason for owners to vote no on the relocation. Owners already are aware that the A’s have received revenue sharing for years and now they’re going to wave the relocation fee. That and the A’s have not produced an updated rendering and blue print, a financial plan for the park, and where is John Fisher’s part to pay for the ball park? These are issues still on the table that need to be addressed and the vote is supposed to be taken this week.

Manfred is waiting for the Tampa Bay Rays and A’s to get their new stadium issues in order and once everything is in place he will consider expansion for one team in the east and west. On that list for expansion mentioned Portland and Salt Lake City in the west and Charlotte and Nashville in the east.

Jerry Feitelberg is a Oakland A’s beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Historic Tropicana Hotel to be torn down for A’s ballpark

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Tropicana Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas is expected to begin deconstruction in 2024 after the MLB owners vote to relocate the Oakland A’s to Las Vegas. The Tropicana will be cleared of debris and start building the A’s ballpark that will be completed in 2028. There are only two roadblocks that could stop the move the owners vote no in mid November or Schools over Stadiums is successful with their ballot measure to stop the public funding of the A’s ballpark. (AP News file photo)

Oakland A’s relocation podcast:

#1 For the Oakland A’s their regular season ended last week but they’re future in Las Vegas is just about to get started. The A’s are waiting for the MLB owners to hold a vote in mid November to decide whether to relocate the A’s or not.

#2 The latest discussion is on the historic deconstruction of the Tropicana Hotel and Resort. The Tropicana who has been in business for 66 years will tear down it’s hotel and resort historic buildings and clear the property of debris and build the ballpark.

#3 Part of the Tropicana will be taken down and the rest will be imploded to make way for the nine acre ballpark.

#4 The A’s have architect Gensler and Bjarke Ingels Group/HNTB will be making multiple designs which A’s president David Kaval and owner John Fisher will look over and decide which rendering they will choose from.

#5 Daniel, from the prospective of the people who live in Oakland, the people who work at the Coliseum and those who have a long running history with this organization that will be a tough day once deconstruction on the Tropicana is started.

Join Daniel Dullum on the Oakland A’s relocation podcasts each Friday 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

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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 Podcast: Mayor and MLB Commissioner very far apart on any baseball future in Oakland

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Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao (pictured) and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred (not pictured) seem much further apart after Manfred said in a recent San Francisco Chronicle report that there was no discussion between he and Thao about an expansion team for Oakland or the city keeping the A’s name (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says in a San Francisco Chronicle report, that everybody likes to pile on MLB adding that you have to look at what Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has done and hasn’t done. She is great saying MLB did this wrong and that wrong but did she handle this well, “I don’t think so” said Manfred.

#2 It should be noted that Mayor Thao was only in office four months when the A’s announced that they would leaving Oakland and prior to that she said she was in negotiations with the A’s to secure a deal that was nearly 10 percent of the way being completed before the A’s said they had a binding deal with the Rio in Las Vegas.

#3 It also was reported that Manfred was agitated during the interview saying that Thao should be blamed for losing it’s third professional team after Oakland lost the Raiders and Warriors under previous Mayor Libby Schaff.

#4 Manfred went onto say that there was never a discussion about expansion in Oakland and keeping the A’s name, that it was simply not true, and that he and Thao never discussed these alleged demands.

#5 Amaury, the way you see the relationship between the Commissioner and the Mayor of Oakland being so far apart would say the chances of getting anything for baseball done in Oakland is almost all but dead?

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s still have not submitted a design for Tropicana ballpark in Vegas

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The Tropicana Hotel and Resort the future home of the Las Vegas Athletics. The A’s have not submitted a design, have not addressed the retractable roof or dome, or submitted where the team will play between 2025-27 (photo by Nevada Independent Journal)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Oakland City officials have indicated that they are not impressed with the job the Oakland A’s, or the Tropicana at Bally’s in Las Vegas is doing. The A’s have not submitted a design for the ballpark, the A’s have not said whether the park will be domed or have a retractable roof.

#2 The cost of the ballpark is $1.5 billion on a 35 acre lot and the A’s need to present a design by the beginning of January. The MLB owners will be taking a vote in mid November to approve the A’s relocation but must have the renderings in hand before that time.

#3 The issue of where the A’s intend to play between 2025-2027 still has not been decided. They have a lease with the Oakland Coliseum through the 2024 season. The A’s need to submit where they plan to play before submitting the relocation application to the MLB three man committee.

#4 With the lease expiring in 2024 and needing to submit the relocation application by mid November the A’s are still seeking locations where they will play for the remaining three years while the Tropicana is being built. Suggestions have been three minor league parks, Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, Greater Nevada Field in Reno, Las Vegas Park home of the Las Vegas Aviators, and Oracle Park home of the San Francisco Giants. Many think staying at the Oakland Coliseum is the most practical place for the A’s until their new park is built.

#5 A’s team president David Kaval said that the Tropicana location is quintessential, it’s right on the strip, i has people, cars, and eyeballs. Kaval added in many ways the Tropicana has the best location because it’s one of the busiest intersections in the world.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s podcasts each Friday 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

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s relocation almost as controversial as Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants was

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Oakland A’s fans voiced their opinion back on Jun 13, 2023 photo regarding a reverse boycott at the Oakland Coliseum. Fans in Colorado and Los Angeles have joined in the sell the team chant when the A’s have been on the road. A’s fans plan to have a joint reverse boycott at the Coliseum this Sat Aug 5, 2023 with San Francisco Giants fans (AP file photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, talk about the MLB fans now getting behind the movement to try and get John Fisher to sell the Oakland A’s by the “Sell the team” chants. It happened on this last road trip for the A’s in Colorado and in Los Angeles.

#2 Daniel, talk about some of the owners who are not to favorable to relocation and in the A’s case this has to be the biggest protest against a team relocating since the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants coming out west.

#3 Some owners and sources mentioned New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is not too excited about moving a storied team like the A’s to Vegas and playing in a much smaller park in the smallest TV market.

#4 Daniel, a Bally’s executive said there is not a lot of room for error in the design and roofing of the Tropicana ballpark. The A’s have consulted with competing architects who are vying to design a final rendering for the new Vegas ballpark.

#5 Bally’s and the Tropicana said Thursday that everything is on hold until the MLB owners take the relocation vote in November. Although the feeling from Bally’s seems 85% certain that the owners will vote in favor of the new park but their not taking any chances just yet.

Join Daniel for the Oakland A’s podcast heard Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com