Nevada Senate re-considers MLB Stadium in Special Session

CARSON CITY, Nev. (KOLO) - The Governor’s proclamation ordered the Nevada Legislature to convene at 10am on Wednesday, which they did.

“Please notify the Governor that the Assembly is organized and ready for business,” said Speaker Steve Yeager a little after 11am.

At 3:00 in afternoon the Committee of the whole met in the Nevada Senate to deliberate Senate Bill One.

Identical to Senate Bill 509, which failed in the final hours of the 82nd legislature on Monday, lawmakers listened patiently to the A’s organization presentation.

$898 million dollars would be spent on wages and salaries during construction of the stadium. More than 8,000 jobs would be created. Lawmakers were told Las Vegas could enjoy “unique” visitors. Those who would not normally come to the city but now would venture there for baseball. It would mean millions as these visitors would need rooms, food, and seek other types of entertainment. The amenities simply cannot be provided by any other city, presenters said.

And then the questions and comments came for A’s analyst Jeremy Aguero and Steve Hill, CEO and President of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

“For the state to give you all $36 million dollars per year for the next five years,” began Senator Rochelle Nguyen, a Democrat from Las Vegas, “For a taxpayer funded stadium; at the same time the governor has vetoed funding for summer school, a bill to support children’s mental health, a bill requiring paid family leave, all because the governor said we couldn’t afford them.”

There were questions about the A’s commitment to the community.

“I am not minimizing what you are doing in Oakland,” said Senator Edgar Flores, a Democrat from Senate District 2 in Clark County. “But I think if we can start there and put that in the NRS it would give some of us comfort.”

“You will commit to willingly pay for the live entertainment tax for baseball events, and athletic events features at this facility in the near future?” asked Senator Fabian Donate, who represents District 10 where the proposed stadium would be located.

The $1.5 billion stadium will be paid for by $300 million in tax credits, county bonds, and the A’s have said they will contribute $100 million. There is also $380 million in public funding.

Aguero presented figures to the Senate, claiming for every dollar spent, they can anticipate generating $3.00.

Minority leader Heidi Seevers Gansert wanted to know more.

“Most recently we did another project Allegiant Stadium,” she said. “Can you talk a little bit about how we have done; relative to our expectations and where that money actually goes if we have a net profit or return on investment?”

It was about 180% of what was projected in 2017, she was told by Hill.

The stadium will be the smallest for Major League Baseball. If approved, the first pitch will occur in 2028.

Public comment was yet to come. As is a vote in the Assembly should SB 1 pass out of the Senate.

A governor’s signature is guaranteed if the bill makes it to his desk.

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