MLB Keeping an Eye on Vegas

Las Vegas was good enough for the National Football League and the National Hockey League. Even the NBA has held its All-Star Game in Sin City, along with its summer league. Major League Baseball may be the next to bite on one of America’s fastest-growing cities. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told the Chicago Tribune, “If we were looking at relocation, Las Vegas would be on the list.”

It’s more likely that an existing team would move to Las Vegas, although Manfred mentioned expansion. He specifically mentioned the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland A’s — two franchises seeking new stadium in their current cities — as immediate priorities, saying, “until the Tampa Bay and Oakland situations are settled, I can’t see talking about expansion.”

Manfred has been one of the commissioners to be vocal about taking a look a legalized sports betting. He’s not quite as enthusiastic over the idea as Adam Silver, but he appears more willing than Roger Goodell. Most people in Las Vegas are happy to see the new teams coming in. But not everybody. Part of that goes back to the 2007 NBA All-Star Game.

The late Terry Lanni, who was CEO of MGM Mirage Inc, said the All-Star Game was terrible for business.

“Mr. (David) Stern can keep his basketball franchises out of Las Vegas as far as I’m concerned,” Lanni said.

A number of people were in Las Vegas for the weekend to cause trouble. There were more arrests than usual and five people shot. That’s high even for Vegas standards. Not to mention the start of Pacman Jones’ downfall took place in Vegas that weekend.

While Las Vegas has had AAA baseball teams for 35 years, it’s a big step up to MLB, but the city is growing fast enough that they may be ready for a shot.