Gov. Joe Lombardo has called a special session of the Nevada Legislature for today at 10 a.m. local time to reconsider a bill establishing Oakland A’s Vegas ballpark funding, left unaddressed when the Legislature adjourned Monday.
It’s not clear whether the bill, SB509, has enough support from legislators for passage. The bill would set up $180 million in transferrable state tax credits for the A’s and order Clark County to cover $145 million–$120 million directly in bonds for the ballpark and $25 million for infrastructure credits–backed by a sales-tax and payroll tax revenue generated by the ballpark. The total size of the package is capped at $380 million, part of the financing plan for a $1.5-billion, 35,000-seat retractable-roof ballpark at the current Tropicana resort site.
According to the Nevada Independent, “the governor did not list any specific reasons for convening a second special session, which typically accompany such proclamations. The proclamation calls for the Legislature to consider a financing and infrastructure project ‘related to the construction of a Major League Baseball stadium consistent with the provisions of Senate Bill 509.’
Calling a special session is hardly an automatic move toward passage; many times special sessions are called by a governor who is well-aware the chance for passage is nil, and the whole thing just ends up being a political exercise. Presumably Lombardo would meet with legislative leaders to gauge interest in the bill, but given the bad blood between legislators and the governor, nothing is a given.
One thing to keep in mind: passage of this funding bill is far from a guarantee the A’s end up at a ballpark on the Strip. If the state approves and Clark County follows suit, MLB owners would need to sign off on the deal (a vote once potentially set for next week has been scrapped) and the A’s would need to finalize financing.
Rendering courtesy Oakland A’s.
RELATED STORIES: State aid for new Athletics ballpark dead–for now; A’s leaders on hand to urge Las Vegas ballpark funding; Draft of A’s ballpark funding bill released; Oakland, government bodies reach tentative deal on new A’s ballpark public funding; Clark County balks at A’s ballpark bonding terms; New Vegas A’s ballpark one step closer with Bally’s announcement; A’s, Bally’s reach deal on new Strip ballpark; A’s rethinking new Vegas ballpark plan?; A’s land purchase could lead to new Vegas ballpark