NAPA, Calif. — Raiders owner Mark Davis tucked himself into a corner booth at the lobby bar of the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel and Spa, shortly after his team’s joint practice with the Rams. To his left was Raiders legend George Atkinson, a Davis friend and confidant for more than 25 years.



“My father,” Davis said, nodding proudly at Atkinson as he settled in to talk about the Raiders.



These are interesting times for Davis and the Silver and Black, who are simultaneously bidding a final farewell to Oakland, their on-and-off home for almost 60 years, while also anticipating the exciting new future that awaits them in Las Vegas. There, a $1.8 billion state-of-the-art stadium is emerging just off the Las Vegas Strip. The new digs and the long-term security they represent will put the Raiders on a better financial path to compete with the rest of the NFL as well as transform Las Vegas and Nevada.



For all those reasons, Davis is eager to get...