Oakland Raiders roll dice on Las Vegas with relocation application

The Oakland Raiders filed relocation paperwork to move to Las Vegas on Thursday, setting in motion the process to become the third NFL team since January 2016 to change markets.

"Today, the Oakland Raiders submitted an application to relocate their franchise to Las Vegas, as is provided for under the NFL Policy and Procedures for Proposed Franchise Relocations," the league said in a statement.

"The application will be reviewed in the coming weeks by league staff and the Stadium and Finance Committees. The relocation of a franchise requires the affirmative vote of three-quarters of the NFL clubs (24 of 32)."

Clark County (Nev.) Commission Chair Steve Sisolak took to Twitter to welcome the turn of events shortly before the league's statement.

"It is official! The @RAIDERS have filed their paperwork to relocate to #LasVegas." Sisolak wrote.

The proposal comes one week after the Chargers announced their decision to relocate from San Diego to Los Angeles, one year removed from the Rams moving to L.A. from St. Louis.

The Raiders had until Feb. 24 to file relocation papers. NFL owners are expected to vote on the proposal at the annual league meeting in March.

Should the vote pass, the Raiders are expected to play at least two more seasons in Oakland while a new stadium is built in Las Vegas, which is also adding an NHL franchise.

The Raiders have played in Oakland from 1960-81 before moving to Los Angeles from 1982-94.

The Raiders have been seeking a new stadium to replace Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The city of Oakland has made no progress to keep the team and has not come up with a stadium proposal the league and the Raiders believe is credible, sources told Rapoport.

Raiders owner Mark Davis was in talks with casino magnate Sheldon Adelson last year about financing a Las Vegas stadium for $1.9 billion.

In October, state lawmakers in Nevada approved $750 million in public funding for a stadium in Las Vegas by a vote of 16-5 in the Senate and 28-13 in the Assembly.

The Raiders, who lost to the Houston Texans in an AFC wild-card game, had to wait until their season ended to announce any plans to relocate.