The Athletics are the only team in Major League Baseball without a permanent ballpark, but plans to remedy that issue are on track as the team announced construction would begin in June.
Shovels in the Ground
Completion of the A’s state-of-the-art ballpark in Las Vegas, Nevada is still years away, but a pivotal step was taken recently when the Clark County Commission approved the team’s land-use permits for its new home. This will allow a groundbreaking ceremony in June, followed by heavy equipment to begin construction on the site of the old Tropicana Hotel.
Timeline for Ballpark and Interim Plans
Assuming the deadlines are met and all goes smoothly, the 33,000-capacity ballpark is scheduled to be open to the public in time for the 2028 MLB season. In the meantime, the A’s have moved from Oakland to West Sacramento, where they will spend the next three seasons in a minor league ballpark that holds roughly 10,000 spectators.
Las Vegas has attracted franchises from three professional sports leagues, including the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, the NHL’s Golden Knights, and the WNBA’s Aces. The A’s will be the fourth franchise to arrive in Sin City, with the NBA eyeing it as a possible expansion franchise destination.
Money Questions
Many baseball people have expressed skepticism that owner John Fisher has the financial wherewithal to get this massive project up and running. Experts anticipate a total cost of $1.75 billion, with $380 million coming from public funds.
That is one of the main reasons Fisher chose Las Vegas, but the funds will not be available until the team spends $100 million of its own money. It has been reported that the A’s are already into the project for $50 million, but they are also trying to raise as much as $550 million to get the project on firm financial footing.
Funding Shortfall and Investor Uncertainty
Yet, attempting to borrow a third of the money required while construction is underway has gotten a fair amount of attention, and none of it is good. One rumor has food service giant Aramark investing $100 million for the ballpark project and another $100 million as an investment in the team.
It was reported in March that the team had landed a $200 million investor in addition to Aramark, but skeptics believe that the $200 million in question is indeed from Aramark. If true, the project will be in financial distress midway through the process unless more investors can be found.
A’s President Defends the Project
A’s President Marc Badain dismissed the critics, saying, “Locally, everybody knows this project’s going to happen. Nationally, there are a lot of skeptics. There will always be a lot of skeptics. There’s a lot of people that make a living out of questioning the success of sports venues and what they actually do for a community. You’re never going to eradicate that negativity. It’s just out there.:”
The A’s also announced they would be presenting a 3-D, interactive version of the new stadium at the Experience Center, where fans can pay $19.01 “to secure a spot in the season ticket sales process.”
The fine print reads, “You understand that your purchase of priority access is non-refundable and does not place you on a numbered waitlist or provide specific priority in terms of when you will be contacted or which tickets, if any, may be available to you.”
