March 21 - During Thursday's Las Vegas Stadium Authority board meeting, the community benefits agreement was passed unanimously, by a vote of 8-0.
I spoke with A's President Dave Kaval, who was at Thursday's meeting, about what the agreement passing means for the team.
"That's what it's all about. That's why we run the baseball team, to see those kids, eight, ten years old, coming out to the ballpark, getting to meet the players, having clinics where they can become better players, and enabling them to come out for an amazing afternoon or evening with their family at the ballpark," Kaval said. "That's something that baseball, it's such a community-oriented sport that a lot of the other sports don't have and we're excited to bring that to Nevada."
March 18 - With the Oakland A's set to move to Las Vegas ahead of the 2028 Major League Baseball season, we now know a little more about how the team plans to invest in the Southern Nevada community.
According to a proposed community benefits agreement — released ahead of Thursday's Las Vegas Stadium Authority Board meeting — the team has a number of areas it plans to address.
That includes a grant program to benefit local organizations that provide assistance to veterans, a small business fund, and monies for improvement and restoration of community ball fields.
MORE: Nevada Supreme Court sets hearing date for A's funding lawsuit
On Monday, the A's also announced that they have already provided $200,000 to more than 70 leagues across Nevada in support of youth sports.
"We're proud to provide a donation to every youth baseball and softball league across the state of Nevada," said A's President Dave Kaval in a news release. "We are eager to continue engaging with the Nevada community and expand our commitment to supporting youth baseball and softball, education and civil engagement."
The community benefits agreement is tied to the $380 million in public funding that the Nevada Legislature approved during a special session last year for a planned new $1.5 billion A's ballpark on the Strip.
The stadium is set to go up at the current site of the Tropicana Las Vegas, which is scheduled to close for good April 2.
After that, the facility will be demolished to make way for the ballpark, and an adjacent Bally's Corporation casino resort (Bally's owns the Tropicana).
A's assistant general manager and director of player personnel Billy Owens says giving back is something the team has always been interested in.
"You gotta truly invest in a community," Owens said during a Zoom interview with Channel 13 on Monday. "Whether it's education forums, athletic forums, really in all avenues, it's huge to be invested."
Also as part of the proposed community benefits agreement, the team says it plans to offer a stadium suite for community use during each home game at the new ballpark, which is scheduled to be ready for play in early 2028.
