The Athletics recently announced that they had entered into a binding agreement to purchase land in Nevada close to the Las Vegas strip. While the A's expressed an intent to begin construction on a new stadium sometime next year, with an eye on relocating from Oakland in advance of the 2027 season (if not sooner), it appears that they're already running behind schedule in an important way.
Indeed, the A's have yet to submit definitive plans to Nevada lawmakers with respect to their desired $500 million tax deferment package. Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager told the Nevada Independent that "if something was going to happen, it really should have been in place last week," as there are only 34 days remaining in the legislature's 120-day session. (Per the Independent, the governor could call a special session if the deal requires additional time.)
The A's lease at the Oakland Coliseum is set to expire after the 2024 season. At that point, the A's would likely relocate to Las Vegas and play in a minor-league stadium, such as the one that currently houses their Triple-A affiliate, before then moving into their new home once construction is completed. Of course, for any of that to happen, the A's would first need to put the finishing touches on this deal -- something they've historically struggled to do when it comes to stadiums.
The Independent reported that the A's binding agreement has not yet been finalized, and that it is contingent on the team gaining approval for public money.
If the A's do succeed in relocating to Las Vegas, they would become just the second Major League Baseball team in recent history to move across state lines. The most recent occurrence saw the Montreal Expos, then owned by the league, relocate to Washington, D.C. and become the Nationals. That move took place before the 2005 season.
