Teachers’ union loses another legal bid to block funding for A’s Las Vegas stadium
Fifteen months ago, a Nevada teachers’ union launched a two-pronged legal battle to strip public funding from the Oakland Athletics’ proposed Las Vegas ballpark.
In the litigation, funded largely by A’s fans grasping at any hope of keeping their team in town, the union has gone 0 for 2.
In May, the Nevada Supreme Court rejected a union bid to let voters decide the issue in a statewide referendum. And, on Friday, a state district court judge rejected a union bid to halt some or all of the $380 million allocated by the Nevada legislature because the bill allegedly violated the state constitution.
The A’s plan to start construction of their new ballpark on 2026 and open the stadium in 2028.
The Dodgers placed starting pitcher Gavin Stone on the injured list with shoulder inflammation ahead of their series against Cleveland.
However, none of the money has yet been spent and the approvals required to do so have not been obtained. Accordingly, District Court Judge Kristin Luis dismissed the lawsuit because the claims of constitutional violations could not properly be made “until the challenged financing mechanisms become operative.”
Luis did not rule on the merits of the claims.
A’s owner John Fisher is liable for the balance of the stadium costs, estimated in total at $1.5 billion, and he has yet to complete a financing agreement with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority, one of four agreements that must be finalized before any public money can be dispersed.
“It is not yet known whether private money will be sufficient,” Luis wrote.
Luis also rejected allegations that the ballpark spending would necessarily impact funding for public education or would do so in a way that would violate the state constitution. The legislation, Luis wrote, “does not mention public education or education funding at all.”
The Athletics’ request to intervene in a Nevada court case in an effort to protect their interests in Las Vegas was denied in a ruling issued last week.
Alex Marks, the union’s director of strategy, said the union’s two political action committees working on stopping the A’s funding will consider anew a referendum in 2026 — even though the team hopes to start stadium construction by then — and an appeal of Friday’s ruling.
“Challenging billionaires and politicians for their misguided actions will always be an uphill battle, but this is a fight worth having,” Marks said in a statement. “We believe the court made the wrong decision.
“Educators dedicated to keeping public funds in public schools are the appropriate party to challenge a $380-million stadium giveaway.”
The A’s, who were not a party to the lawsuit, declined comment.
Nevada law requires disclosure of any party donating more than $1,000 to a political action committee. Of the seven such donors listed on 2023 and 2024 disclosure forms for the union’s Schools over Stadiums political action committee, all seven were from Northern California.
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