What happens to Aviators, Las Vegas Ballpark if A’s move to Las Vegas?
If the Oakland Athletics end up relocating to Las Vegas, the fate of their Triple-A counterpart in Southern Nevada is already decided.
A source with knowledge of the Las Vegas dealings said plans are still in place to keep the Aviators at Las Vegas Ballpark, in addition to the A’s, should the MLB team relocate to Southern Nevada and need a place to play while a new stadium is constructed.
The possibility of the A’s moving from Oakland to Las Vegas seemingly increased over the weekend following MLB commissioner Rob Manfred noting his dwindling optimism that the team will be able to work out a deal for a new stadium in Oakland.
With the fate of the Howard Terminal project, which includes a 35,000-seat stadium, resting in part on the outcome of mayoral and city council elections in Oakland, a source indicated that Nevada officials have a golden opportunity to lure the A’s to the area, but noted that is incumbent on finding some form of public funding for the building of a $1 billion, 35,000-seat ballpark.
If that does not occur, a source said the A’s could begin to look at other potential markets.
Although a lot has to happen for the A’s to actually end up in Las Vegas, it’s looking more real now than it has throughout the past 17 months that the team has been researching stadium sites in Southern Nevada.
A’s President Dave Kaval has previously talked about the possibility of the A’s and Aviators coexisting in Las Vegas, noting the benefits of having the two teams within miles of each other. It would be similar to the current arrangement between the NHL Golden Knights and AHL Silver Knights.
“That’s something we’re exploring as a possibility, because it’s hard to know how long these things are going to take,” Kaval told the Review-Journal last year. “We would have to understand all the different options and when things could occur. But since there is such a state-of-the-art facility already there, it’s at least an option.”
The A’s and Manfred were unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Las Vegas Ballpark, a $150 million facility that seats 10,000, features multiple seating options including 22 suites, 400 club-level seats and hundreds of party deck seats, in addition to its signature outfield pool area and a grass berm adjacent to that.
Aviators’ President Don Logan wasn’t available to comment. Officials with the Howard Hughes Corp., which owns the Aviators and the ballpark, did not respond to requests for comment.
Last year Peter Riley, senior vice president and general counsel for Howard Hughes, noted the shared stadium possibility is a real one.
“The reality is they may have to play in our ballpark (Las Vegas Ballpark) for a couple years, temporarily, no matter what happens,” Riley said last year.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.