Goodell: NFL Will Not Allow Casino To Be Part Of Raiders Ownership
HOUSTON (CBS SF) – With the Oakland Raiders move on shaky financial ground, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell slammed the door Wednesday on the team selling a piece of the team or its planned new Las Vegas stadium to a casino.
On Tuesday, a source at Goldman Sachs told KCBS that the Wall Street investment giant was no longer going to put up $650 million to help Raiders owner Mark Davis leave Oakland and build the Las Vegas stadium.
Davis had told the NFL that he has backup financing from Goldman, just in case casino mogul Sheldon Adelson backed out of his commitment to invest $650 million in the stadium deal.
Adelson announced he was backing out of the stadium deal on Monday. The source said Goldman Sachs agreed to lend the money only if Adelson was a partner.
On Wednesday, during his annual Super Bowl question and answer session, Goodell was asked if the league would allow the Raiders to sell a portion of the team or the stadium to a casino.
"I don't see any ownership position of a team for a casino," he said. "That is not consistent with league policy. That's not likely for a stadium either."
Goodell said whether or not the league approves the Raiders move, the relocation would have to be "in the long-term interest of the NFL."
The NFL commissioner also said he did not see the Raiders being able to move to San Diego if the Las Vegas relocation fell through.
Meanwhile, Chris Dobbins, the President of the grassroots group Save Oakland Sports, was elated at the news the Raiders move was in jeopardy.
"We're excited that this deal is falling apart, allegedly, in Vegas," said Dobbins. "And we just the Raiders to recommit and make it work in Oakland."
The Las Vegas facility was on track to be even be even more expensive than Levi's Stadium. The stadium's price tag stands at $1.9 billion.
The State of Nevada promised $750 million in public funds, while the Raiders committed $500 million. The addition $650 million in funding now is in jeopardy.
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval said the state's "contribution will not increase."
