Raiders owner Mark Davis met with follow NFL owners on Houston on Wednesday to update them on the progress of the Las Vegas stadium situation.
A few hours later, Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf issued the following statement:
“I know that there is a lot of interest in what is going to happen with the Raiders, and whether Oakland can keep its team from being ripped away from Bay Area fans for a second time.
If Oakland is going to be successful in offering the Raiders and the NFL a viable alternative to moving to Las Vegas, I have to stay clearheaded. I cannot afford for us to be thrown off our game because Nevada lawmakers have deemed it appropriate to put $750M in public money towards a private sports facility. While I'm committed to keeping the Raiders, I will not enter into a bidding war with Nevada using public funds.
That’s why I remain focused on working out concrete deal terms that give the NFL’s owners an Oakland option to consider. I believe that in partnership with Alameda County and the team Ronnie Lott has assembled, we can offer a serious plan in the coming weeks that is fair to the Raiders, the league, the fans and the Oakland taxpayers to whom I am most responsible.”
