Fact Check: Are the Athletics' Las Vegas stadium renderings real? Examining team's exaggerated claims about imminent move

The stadium designs of the proposed Oakland Athletics stadium in Las Vegas is reportedly fake
The stadium designs of the proposed Oakland Athletics stadium in Las Vegas is reportedly fake

The Oakland Athletics to Las Vegas saga has taken yet another turn as previous designs of a potential stadium along the strip are reportedly fake. The supposed renderings had baseball fans excited about the potential future of an MLB team located along the Las Vegas strip.

Now, it appears that it was simply an internet craze without any substance behind it. According to an Athletics representative, one can "wad those up for now" while referring to the proposed stadium designs that set baseball Twitter ablaze.

"The Oakland A's have released renderings for a potential new ballpark in Las Vegas. $1.5 billion. 30,000-seats. Partially retractable roof. Views of the Las Vegas Strip. The A's are asking for $380 million in public financing, and it would be MLB's 2nd-smallest stadium." - @JoePompliano

The Las Vegas stadium renderings were used to help land $380 million in public funding, however, it appears that the draws were simply fabricated to secure the deal.

Now, the Athletics have told potential architectural teams to scrap the original designs because they simply could not be completed in the amount of space allotted at the proposed site. The new facility would replace the current Tropicana Hotel across from the MGM Grand, however, the nine acres of the site couldn't possibly house some of the features shown in the pictures.

"@RobManfred @MLB The A's now admit their Las Vegas stadium renderings were trash and should be thrown away. This whole relocation process has been full of deceit from the start. How embarrassing for MLB. Keep the A's in Oakland." - @Qbert2001

One of the issues with the original draws is the retractable roof, which according to experts will require more than the nine acres that sit on the Tropicana site. While it's clear that Commissioner Rob Manfred and the MLB are laser-focused on bringing an MLB franchise to Las Vegas, it may not be as easy as they originally thought.

This is not the first controversy surrounding a potential move of the Athletics to Las Vegas

The saga between Oakland, the Athletics, Las Vegas, and the MLB has taken several twists, with another chapter being exposed a few weeks ago. Oakland Mayor Sheng Tao said she had a closed-door meeting with Rob Manfred, sharing page after page of evidence disproving the MLB's claims that the city was not interested in building a new stadium.

"MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has previously said that Oakland didn't have "an offer" for the A's. This week, Oakland Mayor Sheng Tao laid hundreds of pages of plans in front of the MLB relocation committee." - @FOS

Another key part of the story is the backlash and reverse protest from Oakland fans that hope to keep the team in their city. Hundreds of fans wore shirts and waved signs in the hopes that the club's owner John Fisher will sell the team.

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Edited by Lyndon Suvanto
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