Mark Davis to address NFL owners amid report of possible delay in Raiders relocation vote

HOUSTON — Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis will brief fellow NFL executives Wednesday on Nevada’s plans to build a $1.9 billion, 65,000-seat domed football stadium in Las Vegas.

The update will come amid reports that it could be March or May before a relocation vote is taken.

The stadium update will come on the second day of the NFL fall meetings at the JW Marriott Houston and is designed to lay the groundwork for a relocation vote next year.

Davis has pledged to move his team from Oakland to Las Vegas if the stadium is built. The Nevada Legislature last week approved a bill raising taxes on hotel rooms to pay off general obligation bonds that would fund construction of the stadium, and Gov. Brian Sandoval signed it into law on Monday at a Las Vegas ceremony Davis attended.

The development team — the Raiders and the family of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson — would contribute $500 million and $650 million, respectively, while the tax increase would cover a public contribution of $750 million. The developers have said they wanted the deal in place so they could introduce it at the fall meeting and bring it to a vote in January.

But published reports say the team’s relocation may not be considered until March or May at the earliest. Citing sources “with knowledge of the inner workings of the process,” Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk and NBC Sports said a relocation decision is expected within the next six to nine months.

A representative of the developers said initial discussions with owners “have gone well” and there was no indication that the relocation question would be delayed.

NFL observers are characterizing the Raiders relocation vote as a battle between progressive NFL team owners who want to test the Las Vegas market and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who may be buying time for an alternative plan to emerge to keep the team in Oakland.

Las Vegas is a smaller media market, No. 40, than Oakland, No. 6, but some consider Las Vegas more vibrant with its tourism economy and glitzy flair.

If the Raiders were to leave Oakland, it would be their second departure from there in 38 years.

Goodell is on record opposing the Raiders’ relocation but has acknowledged it to be the owners’ decision. A delay in the vote could give Oakland and the NFL additional time to counter the Las Vegas stadium incentive. Under the legislation signed by Sandoval, a stadium authority board would have up to 18 months to sign a deal with an NFL team before the focus would shift to building a smaller college stadium just for UNLV.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, one of the proponents of the Raiders moving to Las Vegas, addressed the media briefly late Tuesday.

“It’s a great match between the Raiders and Las Vegas,” Jones said as he was leaving a meeting. “I’m very impressed with the leadership in Nevada and the fact the people are supporting Mark Davis in his effort to bring the Raiders there. It makes me very excited to be as active as I can for it.”

Jones said he thinks the collaboration by Southern Nevada casino executives will play well with NFL owners.

“Steve Wynn is a valued friend, as is Sheldon Adelson,” he said. “I admire Jim Murren and all that the MGM does. For people like that to support the idea of having a team there is going to impress a lot of people in the NFL. I think this is a real good thing. It’s a compliment to the NFL that Las Vegas is supporting the idea of a team there.”

Owners make themselves available to the media during breaks in the meetings, which are closed to the media and public.

Goodell is expected to address the media with his assessment Wednesday.

The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.