Nevada Legislature Throws Major Wrench Into A’s Plan To Move To Vegas

The Oakland A's plan to move to Las Vegas is now facing a significant hurdle thanks to the Nevada legislature.

According to the Nevada Independent, lawmakers declined to proceed with a bill to help get the A's to Las Vegas.

Several weeks ago, the team announced it had an agreement with state leadership on public funding for a new stadium.

READ: ATHLETICS HAVE AN AGREEMENT TO MOVE TO LAS VEGAS AS TEAM, FANS CONTINUE EMBARRASSING SEASON IN OAKLAND

The A's would receive up to $380 million of assistance to build a stadium on the strip in Las Vegas.

But the legislature's decision to discard the bill means those plans could be on hold.

Now, Governor Joe Lombardo would need to call for a special legislative session, with an agenda set by the governor. According to the Independent, "neither Lombardo’s office nor legislative leadership have confirmed a special session would happen as of late Monday."

Public funding is key to the A's plan to build their 30,000-seat ballpark, estimated to cost $1.5 billion.

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 06: A general view of play between the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 06, 2020 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Oakland A's For A Bit Longer?

There were recent hints that the bill could be in trouble.

Lawmakers heard from opponents, who detailed that the history of public funding for stadium projects has been extremely poor.

The legislature's decision doesn't entirely kill the idea of the team moving to Las Vegas. But it does make the path significantly harder.

Even passing the bill wouldn't have totally guaranteed that the A's could leave. MLB owners would still need to sign off and the team would have to demonstrate the ability to finance the rest of the construction costs.

The A's are essentially out of options in Oakland, with an embarrassing stadium and even more embarrassing attendance figures.

Given that reality, there's little chance of them abandoning their plans entirely. But just like their on-field performance, it's now more likely to be an uphill struggle.

Stay tuned.