Major League Baseball’s Athletics have crossed a major threshold in their quest to relocate.
The Nevada State Senate passed a bill to provide $380 million in state funding for the Athletics’ new stadium in Las Vegas, ESPN and other local media reported on Thursday.
According to the report, the Nevada State Senate, which consists of a total of 21 members, approved the support measure with 13 votes in favor and 8 votes against.
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives. The Assembly is scheduled to convene at 1 p.m. local time on Wednesday. If the 42-member House of Representatives also passes the bill, it will head to Governor Joe Lombardo.
Lombardo has maintained a positive stance on the Athletics’ move. If the Assembly passes the bill, he is likely to sign it immediately.
State funding for the Athletics’ new stadium was one of the most important and sensitive issues discussed during the annexation process. With the Senate’s approval, one hurdle has been cleared.
Once the governor signs off on the funding, 안전놀이터 the ball is back in Major League Baseball’s court. If the owners vote to approve the move, the Athletics will officially move from Oakland, California, to Las Vegas.
According to USA Today, Major League Baseball owners will vote on the move in July, just before the All-Star break, rather than this month.
The Athletics, who moved from Kansas City to Oakland in 1968, have been unable to resolve issues with the city of Oakland over a new stadium and are now pushing to move again.
Oakland fans are organizing their own resistance. They’re organizing a “reverse boycott” of the A’s home game against the Tampa Bay Rays to pack the stands and show that “Oakland’s problems are not with the fans. The protest is planned to pressure current owner John Fisher to sell the team.
The only hope for Oakland fans is for the Athletics’ current owner to sell the team to an owner willing to stay in Oakland.