OAKLAND — Despite a major setback in plans to move the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas, Mayor Libby Schaaf said that she will not empty the city treasury to keep the team.
“I do a lot of tightrope walking and as mayor I want to keep my Raiders in Oakland, but I am not subsidizing stadium construction,” she said to big applause from members of the Piedmont Pines Neighborhood Association Monday night at Skyline High School. “You’re applauding, but the NFL (National Football League) finds it quite offensive.”
Schaaf’s appearance before the association came on the day that billionaire Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson announced he was withdrawing a pledge of $650 million toward construction of a 65,000-seat domed stadium in the Nevada City.