Nevada officials reach out to Diamondbacks on potential relocation

A couple of months following an updated lease agreement between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Maricopa County in May 2018, a Las Vegas suburb reached out to the team to explore potential relocation options.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Henderson, Nev. city manager Richard Derrick and Henderson mayor Debra March reached out to D-backs president and CEO Derrick Hall to discuss the potential of a move.

Despite the email exchange between the two sides, the D-backs said that although cities have been in contact with the team, they’re looking to remain in the state.

“A number of cities have expressed interest but we have not pursued any because we have not received permission from MLB and our desire is, first and foremost, to stay in Arizona,” the team said in an official statement.

Non-disclosure agreements were sent to real estate professionals for the potential stadium.

According to Henderson officials, the city has reached out to the team as recently as February.

It appears, however, Henderson is looking at other options as well, with the sole intent of bringing a sports team to the city.

“While a proposal for an Arizona Diamondbacks ballpark has not moved forward, the city of Henderson would welcome conversations with other major league franchises that may be considering a move to a different market,” the city said in a statement.

Henderson has worked on bringing sports team to the city in some capacity.

Last year, the Raiders and Henderson agreed to build a headquarters and training facility. The Raiders will make the move from Oakland to Las Vegas next year.

Last May, the city also struck a deal with the Las Vegas Golden Knights on a community ice arena in the downtown area. The Knights have been in Las Vegas since 2017.

The May 2018 agreement between the D-backs and Maricopa County opened the door for the team to pay to leave the county following the 2022 season.

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