A’s stadium public funding challenge thrown out by Nevada judge

A Carson City District Court judge threw out a union-supported lawsuit challenging Senate Bill 1, the public funding mechanism for the Oakland Athletics’ planned Las Vegas ballpark.

District Judge Kristin Luis issued her order Friday. The lawsuit, filed by Strong Public Schools, a political action committee backed by the Nevada State Education Association, lacked standing to argue that portions of SB1 were unconstitutional and would divert funding from public education, Luis ruled.

Luis said claims that SB1 violates the Constitution were speculative in nature. Luis noted that the teachers union’s PAC mentioned education only when describing themselves and that SB1 is not focused on education or diverting state funding from schools.

The defendants named in the lawsuit included the state of Nevada, Gov. Joe Lombardo, state Treasurer Zach Conine, Clark County and the Las Vegas Stadium Authority. The A’s were not among those named in the lawsuit and the court previously denied the team’s motion to intervene in the case.

This marks the NSEA’s second failed attempt to halt public funding for the planned A’s ballpark, which will be built on the site of the shuttered Tropicana resort. The union previously filed a petition referendum under a separate PAC, Schools Over Stadiums, challenging SB1. That petition was blocked by Carson City District Judge James Russell in November 2023 after lobbyists for the A’s filed a lawsuit calling the petition misleading for including only portions of SB1’s language and not the full text.

Schools Over Stadiums appealed that decision, but the Nevada Supreme Court in May upheld the lower court’s decision.

‘Examine our legal options’

“Challenging billionaires and politicians for their misguided actions will always be an uphill battle, but this is a fight worth having. We believe the Court made the wrong decision,” Strong Public Schools spokesman Alexander Marks said in a statement. “Strong Public Schools Nevada will examine our legal options including a possible appeal, and we will work with Schools Over Stadiums as they consider a referendum in 2026.”

SB1 earmarks up to $380 million in public funds for the construction of the A’s planned $1.5 billion Las Vegas Strip ballpark.

The A’s are still finalizing financing for the stadium, which team executive Sandy Dean previously said likely would comprise $850 million from team owner John Fisher’s family, $350 million of the available $380 million in public funds and $300 million in debt financing to be borrowed by the A’s.

The A’s are also seeking potential local investors, who would get a minority stake in the team in exchange for financing part of the project. Any local investments would offset the amount of equity the Fisher family would contribute.

Plans call for the A’s ballpark to be built on 9 acres of the 35-acre Tropicana site. The two hotel towers are scheduled to be imploded Oct. 9, which would allow the A’s to begin construction on their ballpark in April. The stadium is expected to be completed in time for the 2028 Major League Baseball season.

Agreements need to be finalized

Before construction can begin and public funding is made available, the A’s must provide the Las Vegas Stadium Authority with their stadium financing plan and finalize multiple agreements with the stadium authority board.

The team’s community benefits agreement already has been approved. The proposed development, lease and nonrelocation agreements have been introduced and are being negotiated by the A’s and the stadium authority.

Stadium Authority Chairman Steve Hill said he expects the three outstanding agreements to be up for approval in December. The stadium authority’s next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 17.

Aside from the agreements with the stadium authority, the A’s also must enter a development agreement with Clark County.

“Work on the development agreement with the A’s will begin when documents are submitted to the County, this has not yet occurred,” Clark County spokeswoman Jennifer Cooper said in an email.

The A’s final home game at the Oakland Coliseum will take place Sept. 26. The team plans to play in a Triple-A ballpark in Sacramento for the 2025-2027 seasons while construction takes place in Las Vegas.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.