The Athletics has released the first renderings of their proposed new baseball field in Las Vegas, featuring a partially retractable roof and a seating capacity of 30,000.
The ballpark sits on nine acres on the grounds of the Tropicana Las Vegas resort on the south end of The Strip.
“We are excited to share our vision for A’s potential new home,” A’s president Dave Kaval said in a statement. “As our first conceptual design, we will continue to refine the look and feel of the ballpark over the next year. We hope our project goes beyond a traditional ballpark and serves as a catalyst for community development and engagement.”
Earlier this month, the A’s agreed a deal with Bally’s Corp. — a gaming, gambling and entertainment company — to build a $1.5 billion stadium in Las Vegas. The team announced in April that it had signed a “binding agreement” to build on a 49-acre site owned by Red Rock Resorts, near Allegiant Stadium and the Strip, in hopes of having a new stadium ready to play. to start the 2027 season.
Under the previously announced deal, the team sought $500 million in public funding for the $1.5 billion project. According to reports, the new deal is expected to bring that number down to $395 million.
On Wednesday, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo announced that a tentative agreement had been reached between his office, the athletic body, treasurer Zach Conine and Clark County officials to introduce a funding bill to bring the MLB team to Las Vegas. to move house. According to a press release, the bill is being drafted to be submitted to Nevada law for consideration and approval.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday in Milwaukee that a vote on the future relocation of the athletics could be held as early as June 13 and 15, when MLB owners meet in New York.
When asked if there was any chance the team could stay in Oakland, Manfred said, “You’d have to ask the mayor that.”
“(Mayor Sheng Thao) said she broke off negotiations after an announcement was made in Las Vegas. I don’t have a crystal ball to see where something goes,’ Manfred said. “There is no final deal in Las Vegas yet. We will have to see how that plays out.”
After the April announcement, Thao seemingly closed the door on the team to make a new stadium deal in the current city.
“I am deeply disappointed that the A’s have chosen not to negotiate with the City of Oakland as a true partner in a manner that respects the long relationship between the fans, the city and the team,” Thao said in a statement at the time. . “In a time of budget shortfalls, I refuse to jeopardize the safety and well-being of our residents. Given this reality, we are ending negotiations and moving forward with alternatives to the Howard Terminal redevelopment.”
Las Vegas will become the franchise’s fourth city if the proposed move goes ahead. The A’s played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954 and Kansas City from 1955 to 1967 before moving to Oakland in 1968.
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(Top photo: courtesy of the Oakland Athletics)