Oakland Raiders relocation: Roger Goodell not pleased
By Chazz Scogna
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell criticized Oakland’s latest proposal to keep the Raiders out of Las Vegas.
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: The NFL’s not happy about a city’s stadium proposal.
With Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis’ application to move his team to Las Vegas set for a league vote in the coming days, Oakland officials made one last effort to keep the silver and black in the Bay Area.
The NFL said too little, too late.
League Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote to Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf explaining the city’s latest proposal leaves too much to be desired with the time remaining, in a letter obtained by ESPN.
"“The material that we reviewed earlier today,” the letter said, “confirms that key issues that we have identified as threshold considerations are simply not resolvable in a reasonable time.”"
The rejection comes after Oakland’s latest financing revisions for a $1.3 billion stadium that would keep the Raiders in Oakland while in close proximity to their current home.
The revisions involved a $650 million loan from private equity firm Fortress Investment Group and $200 million from the city.
The NFL and Davis would be on the hook for $500 million.
The money offered by Oakland officials differs from Las Vegas’ proposed $750 million with public funding, money the league would not have to pay back.
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But despite Oakland’s attempts, the NFL remains concerned with the city’s situation with the A’s, Oakland’s MLB team.
"“The long-term nature of the commitment to the A’s remains a significant complication, and the resolution of that issue remains unknown,” the letter said."
MMQB’s Albert Breer took the NFL’s issue with the A’s a step further, saying the league believes the teams is receiving preferential treatment:
Regardless of the NFL’s reasons, it’s becoming clear that Raiders fans should start price checking flights to Sin City.