Now that the Oakland Athletics (A’s) have reached a deal to purchase 49 acres of off-Strip land from Red Rock Resorts to relocate to Las Vegas and build a new, $1.5 billion stadium with a partly-retractable roof, the team has started the process of selecting the contractors and unions for the proposed park.
On April 22, the A’s announced that a labor deal had been reached with Southern Nevada Building Trades (SNBT) for the construction of the stadium. SNBT is a collective of local unions that encompasses everything from electricians to iron workers and other industry professionals.
Exact details of the agreement were not disclosed, but the project is expected to garner some 10,000 total construction jobs for southern Nevadans.
Vince Saavedra, executive secretary treasurer of SNBT, said in a statement that the organization is “thrilled to have reached this agreement with the A’s which will ensure that our members have access to good-paying, union jobs on this important project. Our members are ready and eager to get to work on this project and we look forward to partnering with the A’s to create a state-of-the-art stadium.”
The team had been pursuing potential relocation sites in and around Las Vegas for multiple years before eventually landing on the plot of the former Wild Wild West casino, which Red Rock demolished last year.
“We have spent nearly two years doing due diligence and building relationships with elected officials and community leaders, such as the Southern Nevada Building Trades,” A’s President Dave Kaval said in a statement. “And we are excited to know this showcase stadium will be constructed with highly-trained union workers.”
Numerous reports have confirmed that the A’s are indeed seeking at least $500 million in public funding for the stadium, to be generated through tax credits as well as the creation of a special tax district.
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo has remained largely noncommittal as to whether or not the team will get that funding, given that his predecessor, Steve Sisolak, doled out $750 million in public funding for the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium project in 2016, which stands as the largest public sum ever put towards a stadium project in the U.S.
Nevertheless, if the team can secure the requisite partnerships before the January 24, 2024 deadline to apply to Major League Baseball for relocation, construction could start as soon next year and be done in time for the 2027 season.
It is unknown at this time where the A’s would play in the interim, given that its lease with RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland expires after the 2024 season.
“The A’s are committed to building a stadium that will be an asset to Las Vegas and the State of Nevada, help elevate Las Vegas’ brand as the sports capital of the world, and set the bar for the MLB,” Kaval said in a statement.
While the deal with SNBT had the sentiment of a home run, the team’s dealings with the Culinary Union are perhaps more akin to a strikeout looking. The union recently released a statement criticizing the team for not signing a card check neutrality agreement, which essentially means that the team’s management has not yet vowed to stay neutral in the event that stadium staff vote to unionize.
“That is concerning, especially since every baseball player on the Oakland Athletics’ roster is protected by a union contract,” Culinary Secretary Treasurer Ted Pappageorge said in the statement. “Hospitality workers serving customers and players at any future stadium should also be protected and have a choice on whether to be union.
“We encourage all stakeholders to continue to perform the necessary due diligence to ensure the interests of Nevadans are protected. Culinary union will advocate to ensure that any proposed stadium is built by the local building trade unions, operated with good union jobs, and that any taxpayer funds — which are needed for community benefits, public services and education are protected and all proposals thoroughly vetted.”
