This article reviews the legal, financial and practical reasons Oakland’s major teams relocated to Las Vegas. It focuses on the Nevada laws, league approvals and ownership incentives that shaped each move, and frames what fans and local stakeholders should watch next. The goal is to provide a clear, evidence-based account using public documents and league announcements so readers can understand the timeline, the funding mechanisms and the likely local effects without speculation.

Nevada passed two special-session laws that helped unlock financing for the Raiders and the Athletics.

MLB approved the A's move in November 2023 with a target 2028 ballpark and a temporary Sacramento stop for 2025-2027.

Research cautions that stadium subsidies often produce limited broad economic gains, so community impacts are mixed.

Quick summary: what happened and why Oakland teams are moving to Las Vegas

The short answer is that owners found financing and venue models in Nevada that made new stadium projects possible, and leagues approved moves once those plans were in place. The focus keyword nfl vegas appears here to anchor the topic and help readers search for related updates.

The Raiders relocation was formally approved by NFL owners on March 27, 2017 after Nevada passed a special-session law the prior year that created public funding tools for a new stadium NFL owners approve Raiders move to Las Vegas.

Why did Oakland teams relocate to Las Vegas?

Owners sought modern venues and greater control over venue revenue, and Nevada’s special-session financing laws created public funding tools that made those projects feasible; league approvals completed the legal steps while construction and timing remain conditional.

Major League Baseball owners later approved the Oakland Athletics’ relocation on November 16, 2023, with a new Las Vegas ballpark targeted for 2028 MLB owners approve relocation of Athletics to Las Vegas.

Both moves were driven less by a single factor and more by a combination of state-backed financing options in Nevada, the appeal of venue-controlled revenues, and the event-driven Las Vegas market that can support additional non-game income streams Senate Bill No. 1 (35th Special Session, 2023) - Enrolled. See the SB1 overview.

How Nevada’s stadium-financing laws made relocation feasible

Nevada’s approach relied on special-session legislation that created state-level financing mechanisms to reduce upfront costs for team owners while offering bonds and tourism-related revenue pledges. The 2016 special-session law laid out a framework to support a new Raiders stadium and included provisions for public financing that helped clear a major obstacle to relocation Senate Bill No. 1 (30th Special Session, 2016) - Enrolled.

For the Athletics, Nevada’s 2023 SB1 authorized a public financing package that can provide up to $380 million toward a new Las Vegas ballpark, a central element of the A’s relocation plan and one of the most concrete policy changes that enabled MLB approval Senate Bill No. 1 (35th Special Session, 2023) - Enrolled. See coverage in the Nevada Independent.

These tourism-backed public financing mechanisms typically use bond authority and pledges tied to visitor-related revenues, which shifts some capital costs away from owners and private lenders and makes large venue projects more financially plausible for teams. The Nevada laws are examples of that model, where state authorization helps bridge the financing gap owners face when replacing older arenas or ballparks Senate Bill No. 1 (30th Special Session, 2016) - Enrolled.

It is important to note that such financing does not guarantee broad economic gains for host communities. Government research points out that stadium subsidies often deliver limited widespread economic benefits, so the public cost and benefit balance remains a point of debate in affected cities Tax-Exempt Bonds for Stadiums.

Ownership incentives: venue control, revenue streams and the Las Vegas market

Owners often prioritize venue control because modern stadiums and ballparks let them capture revenue streams that older facilities do not. These venue-controlled revenues include premium seating and suite sales, expanded concessions and merchandise operations, naming rights, and the ability to host non-game events that generate additional income Senate Bill No. 1 (35th Special Session, 2023) - Enrolled.

Las Vegas’s event-driven market increases the potential value of those revenue streams. The combination of large tourist flows, entertainment partnerships, and easier access to high-profile events can make a new venue more commercially attractive than remaining in an older urban stadium that limits such opportunities Senate Bill No. 1 (30th Special Session, 2016) - Enrolled.

When owners evaluate relocation, they weigh the capital costs against expected long-term control of venue revenue. Where Nevada’s laws reduced some initial barriers, ownership groups saw clearer paths to generate the mixed revenue streams they need to justify new construction and to pursue broader commercial deals, which in turn supported formal relocation proposals to leagues NFL owners approve Raiders move to Las Vegas.

Track public approvals and venue revenue commitments for a stadium project

Construction start
Financing disbursement
Permits approved
Community agreement
Temporary relocation plan
Opening target

Use this checklist to follow official milestones

Beyond direct game-day receipts, modern venues enable owners to sell out-of-season events and exclusive partnerships that older sites cannot host efficiently. That prospect of diversified revenue streams is a recurring justification in ownership statements about the economic case for new stadiums and ballparks MLB owners approve relocation of Athletics to Las Vegas.

Timeline and logistics: Raiders first, Athletics next

The Raiders path to Las Vegas began with Nevada’s 2016 special-session financing framework and an owners’ vote on March 27, 2017 that approved the relocation, clearing the way for the team’s move and a new stadium project in the city NFL owners approve Raiders move to Las Vegas.

The Athletics’ relocation journey was later, with MLB owners approving the A’s move on November 16, 2023 and an official target of a 2028 opening for the new Las Vegas ballpark. That approval followed state legislation in Nevada that provided a financing structure for the project MLB owners approve relocation of Athletics to Las Vegas. See coverage at ESPN.

Because the new ballpark timeline extends into the second half of the decade, the A’s plan includes a temporary home arrangement in Sacramento for the 2025-2027 seasons, which highlights the logistical transitions teams and fans must manage while a permanent venue is built A’s to play in Sacramento through 2027 ahead of planned move to Las Vegas.

Even after league approvals and state laws, key milestones remain conditional: construction schedules, final financing disbursements and permit approvals can shift expected opening dates. That conditionality is a practical reminder that approval votes and legislation are necessary but not alone sufficient to finish a stadium on time Senate Bill No. 1 (35th Special Session, 2023) - Enrolled.

Local economic effects and trade-offs for fans and cities

Public officials and team owners commonly argue that new stadiums bring jobs, increased tourism spending and opportunities for urban redevelopment. Those are plausible localized effects, particularly for construction and near-term event activity, but large-scale, sustained benefits for wider local economies are less certain Tax-Exempt Bonds for Stadiums.

Government research cautions that stadium subsidies often have limited broad economic benefits and that measured gains can fall short of public expectations. That finding matters because Nevada’s authorized financing tools changed the feasibility equation for owners, but do not guarantee that local tax revenues or employment will rise on a sustained basis beyond what the research suggests Tax-Exempt Bonds for Stadiums.

For Oakland fans and local businesses, the Athletics’ temporary move to Sacramento for 2025-2027 will create short-term shifts in attendance patterns, vendor contracts and neighborhood activity as supporters and nearby merchants adapt to fewer home games in the immediate local market A’s to play in Sacramento through 2027 ahead of planned move to Las Vegas.

Funded Plays Challenges

Readers tracking impacts should watch public disclosures tied to financing and any community benefit promises under SB1 as the project advances Senate Bill No. 1 (35th Special Session, 2023) - Enrolled.

Common questions and misconceptions about team moves

Do stadiums pay for themselves? Evidence indicates that while stadiums can produce local construction activity and event spending, they do not always create broad economic growth commensurate with public subsidy levels; government analysis raises caution about overstating benefits Tax-Exempt Bonds for Stadiums.

Are relocations purely financial decisions? Not entirely. Relocations require league approvals, market assessments, stadium deals and often local political agreement. Financing is a major factor because it affects owners ability to control revenue in new facilities, but approvals and logistics also shape the ultimate outcome NFL owners approve Raiders move to Las Vegas.

Can fans influence outcomes? Fans can influence public discourse and local political calculus around public financing and community benefits. However, once state laws and league approvals are in place, many decisions shift to financing and construction timelines that are harder for fans to change directly MLB owners approve relocation of Athletics to Las Vegas.

What to watch next and practical steps for fans and local businesses

Key milestones to monitor include formal construction starts, the timing of financing disbursements under Nevada SB1, permit approvals, and official league scheduling announcements that reflect interim locations or new venue openings Senate Bill No. 1 (35th Special Session, 2023) - Enrolled.

Get official updates on stadium and relocation milestones

Sign up for official team press lists and local government project updates so you receive accurate timing notices about construction, ticketing and community disclosures.

Fans planning travel and ticketing should watch official team channels for the Athletics’ Sacramento schedule and for any special travel packages or partner announcements tied to the Las Vegas opening, since the 2025-2027 interim arrangement will affect where games are played and how fans make plans A’s to play in Sacramento through 2027 ahead of planned move to Las Vegas.

Local businesses should prepare for interim changes by assessing how reduced local game-day traffic may affect revenues and by exploring opportunities tied to new visitor flows in Las Vegas if they plan to engage with relocated operations or regional partnerships Senate Bill No. 1 (35th Special Session, 2023) - Enrolled.

Bottom line: realistic takeaways for communities and fans

The main drivers behind the Raiders and Athletics moves were ownership strategies to secure modern venues and venue-controlled revenues, combined with Nevada’s 2016 and 2023 financing laws that reduced barriers to building new facilities Senate Bill No. 1 (30th Special Session, 2016) - Enrolled.

Minimalist 2D vector transit hub with packed bus train luggage and icon signage showing temporary relocations between city nodes with arrows and map pins dark background and yellow accents nfl vegas

League approvals completed the formal relocation steps: the Raiders’ owners vote in 2017 and MLB’s approval for the A’s in 2023 set legal permission for moves, while project timelines and construction still determine when games shift and where fans will attend in future seasons MLB owners approve relocation of Athletics to Las Vegas.

At the same time, government research cautions that public stadium subsidies do not automatically deliver wide economic gains for local populations, so communities should track project details, community benefit commitments and financing disclosures as the best way to judge long-term public value Tax-Exempt Bonds for Stadiums.

Will public money pay for the whole stadium?

No. State laws like Nevada SB1 provide specific public financing tools that can cover part of project costs, but they do not guarantee that every cost will be publicly funded or that the project will deliver broad local economic gains.

When will the Athletics play in Las Vegas?

MLB approved the A's relocation with a target ballpark opening in 2028, and the team plans a temporary home in Sacramento for 2025 through 2027 while the Las Vegas venue is developed.

Did the Raiders move for better team performance?

Team relocation decisions are primarily about financing and venue revenue control rather than guaranteed changes in on-field performance.

In short, owners pursued new venues where financing tools and market prospects aligned, and leagues approved relocations once those plans met required conditions. Communities and fans should track official disclosures and milestone updates to understand both project timing and any community benefits as implementation proceeds.