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Jerry Jones Key In Raiders Vote; Dolphins' Ross Questions Effort To Stay In Oakland

Those who "know exactly how the Raiders lined up the financing, the political will, and then the wherewithal to drive" yesterday’s Las Vegas vote "all point to one man" -- Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, according to sources cited by Tim Kawakami of the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS. Jones has now "helped the 49ers into the Levi’s Stadium gold mine, brokered the deal to get the Rams into Inglewood and then the Chargers there, too, and now has guided the Raiders to Las Vegas." Jones "owns a major chunk" of Legends Hospitality, which will "now sell the suites and sponsorships for the Las Vegas stadium." It is also "selling them for the Rams and Chargers in L.A., and sold out the suites and sponsorships for Levi’s" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 3/28). In Ft. Worth, Clarence Hill Jr. reports it was Jones who "brought in Bank of America to help finance" the Raiders deal when other banks and investors bailed on Raiders Owner Mark Davis. This is "another example of why Jones is a member" of the Pro Football HOF Class of '17 and a continuation of what has been a "fantastic year for the Cowboys owner, on and off the field" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 3/28).

STICKING TO YOUR PRINCIPLES: In West Palm Beach, Jason Lieser notes Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross "doesn’t necessarily object to the Raiders wanting to move to Las Vegas, but didn’t see sufficient effort by their organization to make it work in Oakland." Ross, the only owner to vote against the relocation, said that it was "nothing personal" against Davis and wished the team well in its move. Ross: "When you own a team, you’re a steward of that team and you have obligations to the community. I think you’d only move a team if you really exhausted all the possibilities. I don’t believe they did" (PALM BEACH POST, 3/28). In Miami, Armando Salguero notes if Ross thought like Davis, Rams Owner Stan Kroenke or Chargers Chair Dean Spanos, Miami "would no longer have the Dolphins." That should "offer a fresh perspective on Ross and his time as Dolphins owner." Ross is a billionaire so he "knows how to play with very high stakes." But "rather than chase more gold, a bigger market, or even making a public threat to move, Ross stopped short." Ross: “You don’t play with communities like that." Salguero: "Now we might be right to realize Ross is more South Florida than we gave him credit for because what he did was best for South Florida" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/28). ESPN.com's James Walker wrote under the header, "Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross Deserves Credit, Not Criticism, For Voting Fans Over Money" (ESPN.com, 3/27). MarketWatch's Jason Notte tweeted, "Stephen Ross spent $400M of his own money renovating the Dolphins' stadium. He's earned the right to vote against the Raiders' move." S.F. Chronicle's Ann Killion: "How did Stephen Ross become my new hero?"

NOT A HARD SELL: Chiefs Chair & CEO Clark Hunt said that his decision to vote for the Raiders' relocation was one he "didn’t make until recently." Hunt: "It was really over the last week, as the Oakland mayor [Libby Schaaf] worked very hard. ... But at the end of the day, it became clear that she was not going to be able to get that done" (K.C. STAR, 3/28). Bengals Owner Mike Brown said the Raiders vote was "destined to pass." Brown: "They had a stadium problem. When you went out to play in the coliseum in Oakland you could understand this was a stadium that was a contemporary of old Riverfront Stadium. Put yourself in their shoes. How would we be doing in Cincinnati if we were still in Riverfront Stadium? It would have been impossible. That’s what they were facing in Oakland. They had to correct it" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 3/28).

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