Oakland Athletics' move to Las Vegas unanimously approved by MLB owners

The Oakland Athletics' move to Las Vegas was unanimously approved Thursday by Major League Baseball team owners, cementing the sport's first relocation since 2005, according to two people familiar with the vote.

After years of complaints about the Oakland Coliseum and an inability to gain government assistance for a new ballpark in the Bay area, the A's plan to move to a stadium to be built on the Las Vegas Strip with $380 million US in public financing approved by the Nevada government.

The A's lease at the Coliseum expires after the 2024 season and it remains unclear where the team will play before a new ballpark opens, in 2027 at the earliest.

Las Vegas will become the fourth city for a franchise that played in Philadelphia from 1901-54, moved to Kansas City for 13 seasons and arrived in Oakland for 1968. The new stadium will be the team's fifth after Columbia Park (1901-08), Shibe Park (1909-54), Memorial Stadium (1955-67) and the Coliseum.

Since the Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers for 1972, the only other team to relocate was the Montreal Expos, who became the Washington Nationals in 2005.

The A's chose a site in the Oakland area near Laney College only to have it rejected by the college and neighbours, then focused on the Howard Terminal area of Oakland. While some approvals were gained, a financing plan was never reached.

The team announced April 19 it had purchased land in Las Vegas, then a month later replaced that location with a deal with Bally's and Gaming & Leisure Properties to build a stadium on the Tropicana hotel site along the Las Vegas Strip.

Nevada's Legislature and governor approved public financing for a $1.5 billion, 30,000-seat ballpark with a retractable roof that will be close to