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CBS News
3 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
"Just put the nail in the coffin:" A's fans react to groundbreaking in Las Vegas
It's something many former Athletics fans dreamed of: shovels in the ground, the first steps in building a new stadium. But it isn't happening in Oakland. Groundbreaking for the A's new stadium is happening in Las Vegas. "There's no wrong way for a fan to deal with this," explained former Athletics fan, Carl Moren. "It's like losing a loved one, there's no wrong way to grieve." Moren is a co-founder of The Last Dive Bar, a group that creates apparel celebrating the Oakland Coliseum, the A's home for 57 years. Moren's father had season tickets before he was even born. "As soon as I knew what was going on we were going to As, Warriors and Raiders games all the time," Moren said about all the former Oakland teams he used to support, but now he feels differently. "I am not a fan of the team. I don't care what the team does on the field." Another now-former fan and President of Save Oakland Sports, Christopher Dobbins, echoed his sentiment. "Super upset at the A's leadership for leaving. Also it's kind of upsetting the City of Oakland didn't get it together to make it happen," said Dobbins. Dobbins isn't following the team at all, but Moren can't help but watch the progress of the move. "Groundbreakings happen without the actual thing getting built," Moren said. "I think the German word is Schadenfreude, which is sort of when you are enjoying someone else's downfall and there seems to be a lot of hiccups along the way." He does think it will happen eventually, but he questions the cost and the time frame. A's Owner John Fisher said he's heard those questions. "We've got a lot of people here in Vegas and elsewhere who are cheering," said Fisher. "You know these projects are difficult. It's understandable that people are like, why isn't this open yesterday? " Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo was also at the groundbreaking supporting the effort. "To me, it's economic drivers, it's jobs," explained Lombardo about how he views the new stadium and the incoming Athletics franchise. At this point, Moren hopes it happens because he's tired of seeing the team in limbo. "When there's all these questions that are floating around and unanswered and a lot of uncertainty, it can give you hope and like that movie Shawshank Redemption, hope can drive a man crazy," Moren said. "I think in some ways it's like just put the nail in the coffin. Let's get this thing over with."
Reuters
10 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Athletics break ground on $1.75B stadium on Las Vegas Strip
June 23 - The Athletics organization held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for its new $1.75 billion stadium in Las Vegas. The team, which is playing its home games in West Sacramento, Calif. this season following its offseason exit from longtime home Oakland, was represented by team owner John Fisher and president Marc Badain among others at the groundbreaking on the Las Vegas Strip. "It's an epic moment for our 124-year-old franchise," Fisher said in thanking several civic leaders in the Las Vegas area, as well as MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, also in attendance at the event. It was a remarkable scene for Fisher, who last year was quoted about the franchise being poised to lose $40 million due to a lack of a new stadium, after failing to come to agreement with authorities in Oakland on parameters for a project to save professional baseball in Oakland. Instead, he struck a deal with Clark County, noting that his family was still contributing the majority of the financing. Badain was hired by the Athletics in March following his successful stewardship of the relocation of the Raiders to Vegas and the construction of the Raiders' new stadium, Allegiant Stadium. "It's an honor," Badain said, when asked about being involved with two stadium projects. "Today's a real accomplishment for everyone in the Athletics organization." The new ballpark, with a planned capacity of 33,000, is not expected to be completed until 2028, leaving the Athletics to continue playing at Sacramento's Sutter Health Park (the home of the minor leagues' Sacramento River Cats) until then. The Athletics currently sit in last place in the American League West at 32-48. "These projects, they probably look like they happen pretty quickly," Fisher said. "The reality is there is an incredible amount of work, time and effort from so many people's involvement to even bring us to today. "Our goal is to continue to build upon what we have, and building a team is like building anything else. Sometimes it takes more time than you want it to. It's like building the stadium. And we think that we have the pieces to make ourselves really successful." --Field Level Media
