Raiders Nation shows support for moving team to Las Vegas
Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis jumped out of his limousine, and before he could put on his suit jacket, he was greeted by Las Vegans dressed in silver and black.
Davis shook hands with members of Raiders Nation on Thursday morning as he entered the Stan Fulton Building on the UNLV campus for the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee meeting.
About two dozen fans of the NFL franchise were in attendance to support Davis, who is pushing to move the Raiders to Las Vegas if a $1.4 billion, 65,000-seat stadium is approved.
“I want the Silver State to become the Silver and Black state,” Davis said as the crowd cheered.
The jerseys of Charles Woodson, Jim Plunkett, Howie Long and many other Raiders greats could be found in the Stan Fulton lobby. Raiders flags were out in full force — and not a picket sign was in sight to protest the stadium project.
“We’re excited, and we got the group here,” said Richard Cervera, president of the Las Vegas Raider Nation booster club. “We’ll go where the group goes, it doesn’t matter. We’ll always support the Raiders.”
Cervera, 47, said he took a picture with Davis and handed him a club shirt.
“Gotta show him that we’re here,” Cervera said.
Cervera started the fan club in 2010, and at one point it had 115 members. He moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas in 1995 and has fond memories of watching the Silver and Black play at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
“My wife and I travel once a year to Oakland,” Cervera said. “We go to San Diego often for games. We love traveling to see the Raiders, but it would be nice to see them live near our home.”
Dan Davis, 36, was the first Raiders enthusiast to shake Mark Davis’ hand as the owner entered the building close to 9 a.m., an hour after the meeting had begun.
“I’m not getting my hopes up too high,” said Dan Davis, who works at UNLV in the telecommunications department. “People hear taxes and public funding, and they automatically shoot it down. It’s a perfect opportunity for Vegas to bring in more money. It’s just not about the Raiders, it’s about UNLV football and growing the school and bringing tax revenue to the city.”
Mark Davis did not promise to move the Raiders to Las Vegas, but did offer to contribute $500 million — with $200 million coming from an NFL loan — to build the stadium. About $750 million would come from taxes on tourists, and $150 million from a partnership between casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Majestic Realty. The funding plan would require the approval of the Nevada Legislature.
Davis was joined by soccer legend David Beckham during the meeting. Beckham took pictures with a group of Raiders fans afterward.
Rob Howard, known as “Raider Rob,” is on board with seeing his beloved team in Las Vegas. He was born and raised in Oakland, California, and claims to be one of the founding members of the Black Hole, the rowdy, passionate section for Raiders fans at home games.
Howard, who now lives in Las Vegas, said he would feel bad for the fans in Oakland if the team were to move.
“I think fans will have to get over it in Oakland,” Howard said. “The city has been behind the eight ball for the last 10 years. Mark needs a home, and Vegas is willing to offer that.”
Raider Rob does have one concern if the Silver and Black hits the Strip: Howard doesn’t think the proposed 42-acre site on Tropicana Avenue is big enough for the new stadium.
“I think they’re underestimating how big Raider Nation travels,” Howard said. “We’re going to need more room than that.”
The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson.
Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow him on Twitter: @gmanzano24