A’s break ground on Las Vegas stadium: “We are Vegas’ team”

Oakland Athletics Begin a New Era in Las Vegas

In a significant ceremony, team owner John Fisher declared: “We are the Las Vegas team,” marking the official start of construction of the new Oakland Athletics stadium in the city of games. The event was attended by Rob Manfred, MLB commissioner, as well as prominent figures from the local government and team legends, including Rollie Fingers and Dave Stewart. The ceremony celebrated the groundbreaking of a stadium with a capacity for 33,000 spectators, with a cost of $1.75 billion, and whose completion is scheduled for the 2028 season. The project has the financial backing of Nevada and Clark County, which have approved up to $380 million in public funds.

I have no doubt that this will be finished in 2028.

Marc Badain, team president

Badain, who was previously involved in the relocation of the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas and the construction of Allegiant Stadium, highlighted the preparation and commitment of the work team to carry out the project. The Athletics’ move to Las Vegas comes after a tense relationship with Oakland fans, who were unhappy with the team’s imminent departure. The Athletics will play the next three seasons in a Triple-A stadium in West Sacramento, California, while construction of their new home is completed.

We are a local team. We want to start with the youngest fans, because if you get the kids, you can get their parents.

John Fisher, team owner

The new stadium will be built on a nine-acre plot, part of a 35-acre site owned by Bally’s, located at the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard. The stadium’s design, with its five overlapping layers, is reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House. A glass window behind center field will offer panoramic views of the Las Vegas Strip, and the air conditioning system will be distributed through the seats. The Athletics’ stadium will be the smallest in MLB, although the Tampa Bay Rays’ Tropicana Field has a similar capacity when the upper levels are closed. The Athletics will join the NFL’s Raiders, the NHL’s Golden Knights, and the WNBA’s Aces as Las Vegas’ professional teams.

I believe that demographics, the success that other sports have had, and the amount of tourism here, those three legs of the stool make it an ideal market for us.

Rob Manfred, MLB commissioner