Oakland A's headed to Las Vegas

Do not blame Oakland; it lies at the Owner, GAP heir John Fisher. He’s never invested in the team since 2005 and never come up with any substantial monies to fund a stadium (let alone a further development of surrounding area).

The As refused to allow Oakland to build the Raiders a new stadium or fix the existing one so the As are why the Raiders are in Vegas.

Look at how sketchy the Vegas bb stadium proposal is and how small it is; it’s because Fisher won’t put up any of his own $$.

Someone VERY close to me was involved in the Oakland negotiations for a new ballpark on As side for a long time, the City is NOT why the deal wasn’t done. Oakland was willing to go far beyond what Vegas is offering. But Fisher needed to put up; never did.

 

Upper deck seats at PNC - let’s say $30. Food - $20. Hat - $30. That’s $80.

Kids make that in six hours.

If you pulled that trip off for $25, then it’s the same.

 

I thought Las Vegas had a Triple A park that was about the same size as Sacramento. Is the reason for playing in Sacramento tied to the A's existing television contract?

 

Parking now is $20-$30.

Gas now from Pittsburgh to Cleveland. Back then I filled the tank of my 1987 Cougar for $20 and got change back.

Turnpike tolls. To go across the state of Pennsylvania now is damn near $100.

 

or tied to not wanting to play night games in 100-degree heat.

 

We live in a capitalist society. This guy got a better deal.

It sucks, but that’s the country we live in.

Unless rules are changed, this will keep on happening.

 

Also because of the site, right? Tiny, cramped space. (Was the site chosen because ownership was cheap? Is there a roomier site in Vegas?)

 

If you’re young a penny pinching, back roads can get to there. You can walk to the stadium to avoid the parking. And if gas was a dollar back then, you’re making 250% more now, so the six gallons to go there and back adds some, but crippling.

 

That makes sense, thanks. I knew I didn't have that number in my head out of thin air.

 

Interestingly, my uncle was part of the original ownership group of the Altoona Curve. When the stadium was built, he told me they got state highway money for the parking lot and approaches.

 

I am guessing that for economic reasons it would make sense to put the ballpark on the strip in order to attract more tourists. But then the problem becomes the difficulty in acquiring land.

 

And the Raiders and specifically Al Davis are why the park is such a hole.