Bill De Blasio Blasts Raiders Owner For Moving Team To Las Vegas
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Bill de Blasio is venting about a new tale of two cities: Oakland and Las Vegas.
The New York City mayor took to Twitter on Wednesday night to blast Raiders owner Mark Davis for relocating the team to Las Vegas, a move that was approved by NFL owners this week. De Blasio also voiced his support for Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf for not giving into the NFL franchise as it sought taxpayer money for a new stadium.
Sad to see Oakland fans lose their team because one of America's richest men greedily held a cash-strapped city hostage for public funds.
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) March 29, 2017
Sad to see Oakland fans lose their team because one of America's richest men greedily held a cash-strapped city hostage for public funds.
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) March 29, 2017
Las Vegas has allocated $750 million in public money for a $1.9 billion stadium. Bank of America also is giving Davis a $650 million loan.
Oakland's last proposal was for a $1.3 billion stadium adjacent to Oakland Coliseum -- $600 million of which would have been funded by a private investment group.
MORE: Francesa: NFL Sold Its Soul By OK'ing Raiders' Las Vegas Move
"Never that we know of has the NFL voted to displace a team from its established market when there is a fully financed option before them with all the issues addressed," Schaaf said in a statement Monday. "I'd be remiss if I didn't do everything in my power to make the case for Oakland up until the very end."
The Las Vegas stadium will not be ready until 2020. The Raiders plan to remain in Oakland through 2019, which could create an untenable situation.
De Blasio campaigned for office in 2013 by railing against income inequality in New York City, which is he described as a "tale of two cities."