LAS VEGAS — The Oakland Raiders have filed paperwork to move to Las Vegas.
Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak told The Associated Press on Thursday that he spoke with the Raiders. Sisolak is part of an 11-member panel that was appointed by Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval to study plans for a proposal backed by billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson’s company, Las Vegas Sands Corp., to build a domed stadium to lure the Raiders to town.
The proposed 65,000-seat domed stadium is expected to cost $1.9 billion, including $750 million in hotel tax revenue, $650 million from Adelson, and $500 million from the Raiders and the NFL. Any relocation to Las Vegas must be approved by three-fourths of NFL team owners.
“I am happy to see the process moving forward, and greatly appreciate the commitment of the Raiders and work of the Adelson family to the hope of making Las Vegas the home of the Raiders,” Sisolak said.
The NFL confirmed the filing in a statement.
“Today, the Oakland Raiders submitted an application to relocate their franchise to Las Vegas, as is provided for under the NFL policy and procedures for proposed franchise relocations,” the league said. “The application will be reviewed in the coming weeks by league staff and the stadium and finance Committees.”
Should the Raiders be allowed to move to Nevada, it would be the third relocation approval in one year. The Rams moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles last year and are building a $2.6 billion stadium in Inglewood. The Chargers last week announced their relocation to LA and will be a tenant in that new stadium, scheduled to open in 2019.
Raiders owner Mark Davis committed to moving to Las Vegas when the stadium project was approved. The Nevada Legislature has backed the project, though no location for the stadium has been set.
For years, the Raiders have said they needed a new stadium; their current home opened in 1966 and is the only facility shared by a baseball and football franchise. Under Davis’ father, Hall of Fame owner Al Davis, the Raiders moved from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1982, then returned to the East Bay in 1995.
