Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Vegas' Field of Dreams Won't Come Cheap
Las Vegas may have just taken itself out of serious contention for the relocated Expos. The Las Vegas Sun reports that the local baseball backers want the public to pay some of the estimated $450-$500 million cost of a proposed 40,000-seat, retractable-roofed stadium, possibly through a bond issue to be repaid from taxes on tickets, concessions and parking.
Under state law, any public contribution requires the approval of the Nevada legislature. That, in turn, would require a special session of the legislature, which couldn't possibly meet and approve such a tax before Las Vegas's final proposal to MLB is due on Friday. Without a firm stadium financing plan in place before the owners vote, Las Vegas would appear to have little chance for the Expos -- though both Las Vegas and Portland, Oregon are casting covetous eyes at the Oakland Athletics.
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Las Vegas may have just taken itself out of serious contention for the relocated Expos. The Las Vegas Sun reports that the local baseball backers want the public to pay some of the estimated $450-$500 million cost of a proposed 40,000-seat, retractable-roofed stadium, possibly through a bond issue to be repaid from taxes on tickets, concessions and parking.
Under state law, any public contribution requires the approval of the Nevada legislature. That, in turn, would require a special session of the legislature, which couldn't possibly meet and approve such a tax before Las Vegas's final proposal to MLB is due on Friday. Without a firm stadium financing plan in place before the owners vote, Las Vegas would appear to have little chance for the Expos -- though both Las Vegas and Portland, Oregon are casting covetous eyes at the Oakland Athletics.
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