Oakland A’s to Decide on Las Vegas After World Series, Team Visits Sin City for Sixth Time

Posted on: September 20, 2021, 08:28h. 

Last updated on: September 20, 2021, 03:33h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

The Oakland A’s MLB franchise says it will decide on whether to pursue relocating to Las Vegas after the World Series concludes in late October or early November.

Oakland A's Las Vegas odds MLB Raiders
The bleachers are largely vacant at the Oakland Coliseum in April. The Oakland A’s continue to shop for a new home, and Las Vegas is expected to be on the shortlist. (Image: Getty)

The A’s are considering following their former neighbor — the Raiders — to Southern Nevada. The A’s face the same predicament the NFL team did several years ago when they decided to flee California’s Bay Area in favor of the nation’s casino capital.

Oakland and Alameda County officials continue to struggle in determining a financing arrangement to build a new professional sports stadium complex. As a result, the A’s are reviewing potential new homes.

A’s President Dave Kaval said recently that the team’s decision on where to call home will be made in the postseason. Kaval said the list of candidate cities will be narrowed down following the Fall Classic.

The World Series begins on October 26. For interested bettors, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the odds-on favorite to win the Commissioner’s Trophy at +280. The Houston Astros are next at +475, and Milwaukee Brewers third at +700.

The A’s still have a slim chance of making the postseason. But as for their title odds, DraftKings has Oakland at +12000 of winning, which is an implied chance of 0.83 percent. A $5 bet and the nearly unthinkable occurring would net $600.

MLB House Hunters

Kaval and other reps from the A’s organization last week once again toured potential sites for the future home of the club in Southern Nevada. The team was accompanied around town by Clark County commissioners, union leaders, and Henderson Mayor Debra March.

The A’s have now made six trips to Las Vegas, visiting some 20 sites throughout the valley. Kaval said earlier this year that a new ballpark in Nevada would likely cost around $1 billion. Allegiant Stadium, the 65,000-seat domed home of the Las Vegas Raiders, cost almost double.

Speaking with the San Francisco Chronicle, Kaval explained that an MLB ballpark differs greatly from an NFL stadium in that it would host at least 81 games a year, compared with only nine NFL home games. Accessibility for the baseball site is key.

The different locations bring different pros and cons when it comes to market segmentation and getting in and out easily, especially for 81 games,” Kaval said. “We started with 20-some sites, and it’s slowly been working its way down.”

The A’s have not commented on if they have a preferred site in Las Vegas. The team has said it prefers to be close to entertainment. “Our business is entertainment,” Kaval rationalized.

Touchdown for Las Vegas Business

COVID-19 prevented the Raiders from showing Sin City the benefits of having an NFL team in town. That changed on September 13, when the packed Allegiant Stadium showcased the Raiders’ new pad to the world on Monday Night Football.

The Raiders’ 33-27 win over the visiting Baltimore Ravens drew 15.2 million television viewers, the highest-rated Monday Night Football broadcast since 2013. Local Las Vegas businesses reported a strong boost in their operations due to the game.

Hennessey’s Tavern downtown on Fremont Street, for example, told KTNV that its sales on a typical Monday range between $4,000 to $5,000. But last week, the watering hole reported sales of $9,000, as the bar was crowded with Raiders fans.