A’s, casino magnate to meet about potential Las Vegas ballpark
Casino magnate Phil Ruffin is heading to the Bay Area on Tuesday to meet with Oakland Athletics brass about a potential site for a new ballpark, a source told the Review-Journal.
Ruffin has ownership of multiple properties in Las Vegas, including Circus Circus and the Las Vegas Festival Grounds adjacent to that.
That 37-acre festival ground site, located on the southwest corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue, will be the subject of the talks Tuesday, the source indicated.
The A’s have been looking for a site for a new ballpark in Oakland and Las Vegas. Team officials have been to Las Vegas multiple times to scout locations.
A’s President Dave Kaval noted the team’s interest in the festival grounds early in the search process in Las Vegas, but the focus shifted away from that location as the team’s market research progressed.
Ruffin and the festival grounds site have reemerged as a “dark horse contender,” which is one reason why the A’s have yet to publicly identify the preferred Southern Nevada site, according to the source.
Kaval previously noted that he has had meetings with various casino representatives, including Ruffin.
Aside from the festival grounds site, the land the Tropicana hotel currently sits on is also still in play, the source indicated.
The A’s are still on parallel paths with Las Vegas and Oakland, where a potential $1 billion ballpark could be constructed.
In Oakland, the A’s have long focused on a site at the Port of Oakland’s Howard Terminal. Plans call for a waterfront ballpark surrounded by a $12 billion mixed-use development if all the necessary approvals are obtained.
The A’s are waiting for the Oakland City Council to return from summer break later this month. Once the council is back to work, A’s officials hope the two side can reach a binding agreement on the proposed project.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.
