Las Vegas mayor believes Raiders will relocate
Get breaking news and SI’s biggest stories instantly. Download the new Sports Illustrated app (iOS or Android) and personalize your experience by following your favorite teams and SI writers.
Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman believes the Oakland Raiders will relocate there, if the state of Nevada takes care of its end of the deal.
Goodman told ESPN Radio on Tuesday that “the Raiders will come if Nevada handles this properly.”
“[Raiders owner] Mark Davis has assured us that Las Vegas is not getting played in a Raiders stadium deal,” Goodman also said. “I know we will have a team.” She added that the stadium site could also host an MLS team and UNLV football.
ESPN reports that in April Davis pledged $500 million toward the construction of a $1.4 billion stadium while meeting with the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee.
The Raiders will remain in Oakland for the 2016 season after the Rams won the bid to relocate to Los Angeles. The Raiders have the option to share the Rams’ L.A. stadium if the Chargers, who have first right, decline. But momentum is now growing toward a Raiders move to Las Vegas, especially after rent at O.co Coliseum was significantly raised.
In March the team signed a one-year agreement to stay at O.co, with the options to extend for 2017 and 2018, but the price of the lease was raised from $925,000 to $3.5 million.
Any relocation proposal would have to be ratified by 24 of 32 NFL owners.
