Major League Baseball (MLB) owners unanimously approved the relocation of the Oakland Athletics to Las Vegas on Thursday, allowing the team to officially obtain the many approvals needed in Southern Nevada surrounding the construction of a $1.5 billion ballpark on the Strip.
The vote, confirmed to The Nevada Independent by two Bay Area baseball sources but not authorized to speak on the matter, is expected to be formally announced by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred during a press conference Thursday in Arlington, Texas, where the owners’ meeting took place.
The vote gives the A’s the backing necessary to move forward on obtaining the financing and gaining approvals for a 33,000-seat ballpark that would use 9 acres of a 35-acre site currently housing the Tropicana Las Vegas. The resort is expected to be closed and demolished by the end of the year.
