Skip to content

Oakland mayor: 'It's no surprise that the Raiders have filed for relocation'

Matthew Emmons / USA TODAY Sports

Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf released a statement Thursday after the Raiders submitted paperwork to relocate to Las Vegas.

Any prospective move will need approval from 24 of the NFL's 32 owners, with a vote expected to take place in March.

Schaaf wrote the following statement via Daniel Kaplan of Sports Business Journal.

It's no surprise that the Raiders have filed for relocation. Oakland welcomes the chance to show them and the NFL's other owners why Oakland is the only home for the Raiders and always will be.

Our winning team of the Lott Group, the County, and my colleagues on the Oakland City Council has accomplished so much in the last few months. We've identified the mechanisms to responsibly finance public infrastructure improvements, we have in the Lott Group a private partner prepared to finance stadium construction, and we have an entitled site for a world-class NFL stadium and new development that enhances fan experience while invigorating East Oakland's economy.

But this isn't all Oakland has to offer. Oakland's Raiders stadium will be on the most transit-accessible site in the nation, in the sixth-largest television market, and in one of the wealthiest and most innovative regions in the world. But above all else, Oakland has something no other city ever will - a die-hard fan base that is loyal and true to the Raiders and wants to see them stay here in Oakland where they were founded. Only Oakland brings the Raiders and the NFL a competitive stadium proposal, along with legacy and loyalty.

I look forward to the League giving our team a chance to compete.

Raiders owner Mark Davis appears intent on moving, but it appears that the Oakland City Council will do their best to retain the team in the coming months.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox