Spring training seeds sown, may sprout big leagues

Steve Carp

Thursday, March 21, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Major League Baseball may be a short-term thing for Las Vegas as far as the regular season is concerned. But the seeds have been sown for what could be a fruitful, long-term relationship between Southern Nevada and the big leagues regarding spring training.

By enlisting the help of the City of Las Vegas and Clark County, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and the Las Vegas Stars attempted to display their desire to become a spring training site.

They were hoping to make the spring training complex in Henderson a reality by convincing the Oakland Athletics to play their first six home games at Cashman Field.

And if the games they decided Wednesday to be played April 1-7 are financially successful, the belief is there's a strong chance the Cactus League will expand to Southern Nevada.

"I think this community has matured to where we can support something of this stature," LVCVA president Manny Cortez said Wednesday. "And if this is successful, I think we've got an excellent shot of bringing spring training to Henderson.

"But I don't see this as a trial balloon for whether or not the community will support baseball. We've always had great support for baseball. I see this as a big event and Las Vegas has always supported big events. I'm confident the community will turn out."

Having spring training in Southern Nevada would mean millions to the economy. The six A's games are projected to bring $5 million worth of business to Las Vegas.

"There's no secret we've been going after spring training," said Stars general manager Don Logan. "This is one more step in bringing spring training to Las Vegas.

"You have to do something big to get their attention and this planted the seed for us with baseball that we're not kidding around, that we want to be partners with baseball."

Tickets for the April 1 and 3 games with Toronto and the April 4-7 series with Detroit are now on sale at the Cashman Field box office, the Stars 'N' Thunder store at the Meadows Mall and all Ticketmaster outlets. Seats are $12.50 for field, plaza, reserved and assigned general admission. Once those seats are gone, $10 seats on the grass berms in left and right field will be put on sale.

Cashman Field will be expanded to hold just over 11,000 fans for each of the six games.

Stars season ticket holders and fans who have bought seats for the team's opening series with Vancouver will be able to use their tickets for the A's games that fall on the corresponding date. The Stars will switch their opening series to Canada and will play their new 1996 home opener on April 9 against Tacoma.

The A's moved the games to Las Vegas upon determining the Oakland Coliseum, which is undergoing a $100 million renovation, wasn't suitable for major league baseball in its current state.

Despite round-the-clock work on the project, construction isn't expected to be completed in time for the April 1 opener with Toronto.

The A's have set April 19 as the date for their 1996 Coliseum opener.

New Orleans also was bidding to host the A's. But despite having substantially more seats in the Superdome and being offered more money to play in Louisiana, the A's opted for quaint Cashman with its lush grass field, Las Vegas' proximity to the Bay Area and the fact Nevada is in the Pacific time zone, which won't interfere with the A's telecasts.

"There certainly were financial factors involved," said A's general manager Sandy Alderson.

To accommodate the A's and the Stars, the LVCVA had to put up a $900,000 guarantee. The Stars will be given $100,000 for the revenue they lost from having to move the opening series with Vancouver and the potential revenue they'll lose at next week's Big League Weekend.

The city of Las Vegas and Clark County contributed $200,000 apiece with the LVCVA putting up the other $500,000.

"We had a problem meeting all of the (financial) obligation," Cortez said. "But that's what was great about seeing the city and the county come in and be partners in this. To me, that's very exciting and I think the community is a winner because of it."

One final hurdle needs to be cleared as an inspection team from the A's, the American League and the Major League Players Association will visit Cashman Field today. If they give their expected approval, it's play ball April 1.