Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)

Las Vegas A’s: ‘A bright future together’

- JOHN FISHER John Fisher is the owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics franchise, which seeks to move to Las Vegas.

THE Athletics are pleased to announce that we have officially submitted our applicatio­n to Major League Baseball for relocation to Las Vegas. We are grateful for the warm welcome and support we have received from the Vegas community. We are excited about this step for our club and what it means both on the field and in this community.

We have a unique opportunit­y to build an intimate 33,000-capacity ballpark within steps of the energy and activity of the Strip. The Golden Knights and Raiders have shown the world that Vegas is a sports and entertainm­ent capital. Southern Nevada has a powerful sports fan base, and the region has shown itself to be a top destinatio­n for fans.

Baseball’s presence is strong in Southern Nevada, as clearly demonstrat­ed by its support of the Aviators, Little League World Series appearance­s and Vegas-grown talent throughout MLB.

While we look to our future with excitement, we are also sad for what this represents for Oakland. The reality is we did not have a deal in Oakland. For the past two years the city of Oakland has been unable to deliver on the July 2021 term sheet that the Oakland City Council approved.

Perhaps even more important, we have been unable to secure a reliable date by which we would have a fully approved project.

We know how difficult this is for our Oakland fans. We spent $100 million and six years on our Oakland ballpark project. Those efforts have run out of time and we will be the third profession­al sports team to leave the Coliseum site.

Our Vegas plan, crafted with strong and committed local partners, will strengthen this historic franchise and set the stage for future success. As part of coming to Southern Nevada, the A’s will engage with and support our newfound home community.

I own this team for a simple reason: I love baseball. I am committed

I am committed to fielding a competitiv­e team and doing what it takes to win.

to fielding a competitiv­e team and doing what it takes to win. Our plan includes continuing to develop our young, talented players through our system and going forward retaining these players and signing free agents.

Today’s announceme­nt means we’re one step closer to our goal of bringing more championsh­ips to the Athletics and Las Vegas. I look forward to a bright future together.

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