Raiders file paperwork to move to Las Vegas
The Raiders have made their first step toward moving to Las Vegas by filing their relocation paperwork, Clark County Commission Chair Steve Sisolak announced Thursday.
NFL owners will vote on the proposed relocation this spring, and 24 of 32 votes will be needed to ratify the move. Should the vote pass, the Raiders are expected to play at least two more seasons in Oakland while a new stadium is built in Las Vegas before moving into the new stadium for the 2020 season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The NFL released a statement regarding the Raiders' relocation application, saying league staff would review the paperwork over the next few weeks.
The franchise played in Oakland from 1960 to '81 before moving to Los Angeles, which it called home from 1982 to '94. They've been the Oakland Raiders since leaving L.A. in 1994.
The Raiders have long wanted a new stadium to replace the outdated Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, and rumors of the departure have intensified as the team and the city of Oakland have failed repeatedly to agree to terms for stadium financing. Most recently, the city of Oakland presented a financing plan for a new stadium with the aim of keeping the team in Oakland, but the proposal never gained traction.
There was speculation that the Raiders would move back to Los Angeles, but that subsided as the Rams and then the Chargers moved to L.A. instead.
In Las Vegas, the Raiders will look to move into a proposed brand-new, nearly $2 billion stadium. Owner Mark Davis has pledged $500 million of his own money for the stadium, and an additional $750 million of public funds will be used should the plans go into effect. The remaining money—around $600 million— would come from the family of Las Vegas billionaire Sheldon Adelson. The three sides have yet to come to a specific agreement on funding.
