SAN FRANCISCO (CelebrityAccess) — The Oakland Raiders officially filed paperwork on Thursday requesting approval from the National Football League for the team to move to Las Vegas.
The move turns up the heat on the City of Oakland, and comes just weeks after the Oakland City Council and Alameda County Board of Supervisors approved a nonbinding plan to build a $1.3 billion stadium to replace the 50-year-old Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum.
Oakland's offer includes 105 acres of land located near a major transit hub, as well as the pledge of $200 million from the the city and county for infrastructure upgrades around the proposed venue.
However, in October, the Nevada Senate approved a plan to spend $750 million in public funds on a $1.9 billion Las Vegas stadium project that was initially being led by Nevada casino mogul Sheldon Adelson.
Adelson's involvement in the project is less clear now, but Raiders owner Mark Davis says investment bank Goldman Sachs has pledged enough money to keep the project moving forward.
Before the Raiders could move, they would need approval from the NFL team owners, who are meeting in March to weigh the request.
“We certainly hope the league will do a side-by-side comparison between our deal and the one the Raiders have proposed with Goldman Sachs — or even the one they were trying to work out with Adelson,” Oakland City Council President Larry Reid told the San Francisco Chronicle. “We hope they’ll come to the conclusion that our deal is better, and treat us fairly.” – Staff Writers
