Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr. Meh
How are locals feeling about it? IÂ’m not talking just about traffic and all that but are locals excited to go see a baseball game? If the AÂ’s are as bad as they currently are, would you still go to see game? Anyone excited to buy season tickets? Is it all about sports betting?
Answers:
1. Indifferent is the vibe I am getting but also not particularly excited about having to partially fund the new stadium via our taxes.
2. No
3. Not really
4. No...it's more about having a shiny new toy to try and induce business here for politicians & corporate executives and someone landing a contract to build a new stadium.
We only get one shot at getting a MLB team here and we need to do it right. Moving someone else's downtrodden, inept and notoriously cheap spending franchise here isn't doing it right. Plus there is little regional interest in the A's, other than their AAA team plays here (more on that below). It's not like the Raiders moving here, who have a massive regional following. The Dodgers would be the only team that could move here that would get people excited. I think holding out to get an expansion team somewhere down the line is the best option. Have that team establish roots in the community early on (like the Golden Knights did) and I think they would do well long-term even if the team is not great on the field.
It should be noted that the Tropicana sight is not a done deal and that the A's are actually looking for other venues behind the scenes. Their current AAA team plays in a newish 10,000 seat stadium in Summerlin and draws OK. But the location (in a nice area, VERY easy to get to and park) and the fact that it is not terribly expensive to attend games has something to do with that. I can't imagine most locals wanting to go down to the Strip regularly to catch a game, especially on a weeknight, unless they are playing the Yankees or some big name team like that.
The state legislature still has to pass a bill that will give the A's money from tax dollars and that isn't an easy sell to the public (Public Education is
badly underfunded in Southern Nevada at least and is a sore spot with some). I really don't know how this is going to end up.