Following a year off , Koentopp led a group of 13 local investors who purchased the Spokane Indians in September 1979 . He took over the role of general manager . Spokane , then an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners and member of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League , ran into financial difficulties in the 1980 season due to the rain and ash fall from the Mount St. Helens eruption , which led the Indians to cancel 18 of their home games and having to deal with poor attendance throughout the rest of the year . Soon after that season , Koentopp moved the franchise to Las Vegas and renamed it Las Vegas Stars , bringing the city its first-ever Triple-A base-ball franchise in 1983 . The Stars ’ glory years came during the 1980 ’s when the San Diego Padres ’ farm system was stocked with future Major League All-Stars . The team won the PCL championship in 1986 and 1988 , twice defeating the Vancouver Canadians . The 1983 Stars , who had a 80-62 record , were inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 . The Stars also were the recipient of the 1985 John H. Johnson President 's Award , given to the franchise for Outstanding Club Operation . Koentopp sold the team , which was renamed the 51s in 2001 , to Mandalay Sports Entertainment before the 1993 season . Since making their PCL debut in 1983 , the Vegas franchise attracted 12,001,011 spectators until 2018 , their last year at Cashman Field . The Aviators new name officially went into effect before the 2019 season , while moving to its new Las Vegas Ballpark
Mount St. Helens eruption
1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens
Larry Koentopp