LVCVA passes deal to get new ballpark built

$80M for naming rights to 51s’ next home

The Las Vegas 51s learned they will get a new home in 2019, but not before representatives of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board of directors debated for 1½ hours on whether the $80 million dedicated to stadium naming rights is money well-spent.

Board members on Tuesday voted 8-2 with two abstentions to approve a 20-year agreement with the owners of the 51s, the Howard Hughes Corp., for the right to be the dominant sponsor of the stadium and guarantee that “Las Vegas” always remains a part of the baseball team’s name.

The 10,000-seat stadium, which is still under design, will be known as Las Vegas Ballpark. Ground is expected to be broken on the $150 million open-air stadium late this year or early next year, with play beginning in the 2019 season.

The 51s confirmed Monday that the New York Mets are ending their Triple-a affiliation with Las Vegas at the end of the 2018 season.

Two votes against

The LVCVA board usually is united on matters brought to a vote, but some members showed hesitancy

supporting the large dollar amount and low return on investment. Board members Ricki Barlow, a Las Vegas city councilman, and John Lee, the mayor of North Las Vegas, opposed the measure. Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, who expressed concerns about the public perception of the move, and Clark County Commissioner Larry Brown, who works for the 51s, abstained. Brown,

Howard Hughes Corp. A rendering shows Howard Hughes Corp.’s proposed baseball stadium. It would sit on a 8-acre plot owned by Howard Hughes, which also owns the Las Vegas 51s, in Downtown Summerlin just south of City National Arena.