It’s official: Raiders file paperwork to move to Las Vegas

The Oakland Raiders have made good on a threat that loomed over hometown fans for months, filing paperwork Thursday to move the National Football League team to Las Vegas.

Nevada politicians unleashed gloating tweets as soon as NFL officials confirmed the team’s application, but the news wasn’t well received in Oakland.

Sisolak, who served on an 11-member panel convened by Gov. Brian Sandoval to analyze the Las Vegas stadium project, said he is “optimistically looking forward” to the meeting in March of NFL team owners, who will decide whether to approve the Raiders move.

In San Leandro, Raiders fans at Ricky’s Sports Theatre and Grill — which is chock full of team memorabilia — oscillated between dejection and grudging acceptance.

“This action is not unexpected,” said Sam Singer, spokesman for the Fortress Investment Group and Oakland City Pro Football Group LLC, a development team led by former 49ers and Raiders safety Ronnie Lott.

[...] he added, “the Fortress and Lott groups remain diligently focused on providing a turn-key solution to keep the Raiders in Oakland.”

The Raiders’ application will be reviewed in the coming weeks by the league’s stadium and finance committees, with team owners voting yea or nay in March.

Questions about the team’s future have been building for a year, ever since Raiders owner Mark Davis began negotiations with Nevada casino mogul Sheldon Adelson to finance a $1.9 billion stadium — the most expensive in league history — off the Las Vegas strip.

In October, the Nevada Senate approved a plan to spend $750 million in public funds on the Las Vegas stadium project.

Grubman, who traveled to Oakland in September to meet with business leaders, city officials and state legislators has previously expressed support for keeping the Raiders in Oakland.