Raiders Officially Moving to Las Vegas After Ownership Vote

Oakland is now without an NFL franchise, as the Raiders will move to Las Vegas

By a vote of 31-1 the Oakland Raiders have officially been given clearance to move to the city of Las Vegas. Miami was the lone team to vote against the Raiders moving.

While they will remain in Oakland for the next year or two while their stadium is being built, the Las Vegas Raiders are projected to play in their new home in either 2019 or 2020.

Coincidentally, the year 2020 will be the 100th anniversary of the NFL.

Owner Mark Davis released the following statement regarding the move.

"“My father always said, ‘the greatness of the Raiders is in its future,’ and the opportunity to build a world-class stadium in the entertainment capital of the world is a significant step toward achieving that greatness. I would like to thank Commissioner Goodell, the National Football League and my 31 partners. I would also like to thank Governor Brian Sandoval and the Nevada Legislature for their commitment. Finally, I would like to thank Sheldon Adelson for his vision and leadership, without which this project never would have become a reality.“The Raiders were born in Oakland and Oakland will always be part of our DNA. We know that some fans will be disappointed and even angry, but we hope that they do not direct that frustration to the players, coaches and staff. We plan to play at the Coliseum in 2017 and 2018, and hope to stay there as the Oakland Raiders until the new stadium opens. We would love nothing more than to bring a championship back to the Bay Area.”"

Local funding for the new Las Vegas stadium helped greatly in the relocation process, with the government allocating $750 million in public funding. The league and Raiders will contribute slightly less money towards the new stadium, a reported $500 million, which will be built close to the Vegas strip.

The Raiders are now the third team to relocate in the last 14 months, following the St. Louis Rams returning to Los Angeles and the Chargers following suit by leaving San Diego.

Las Vegas has always been a controversial destination for sports franchises, primarily due to the legal gambling and “extra-curricular” activities that come with the city.

The Raiders will not be the first professional sports franchise to make Las Vegas their home. The NHL created an expansion franchise, now named the Vegas Golden Knights, which will begin playing next season.