Featured image credit: Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics Major League Baseball team has unveiled the first renderings of its proposed new ballpark in Las Vegas.
The team is planning on building a new 30,000-capacity ballpark on the nine-acre Tropicana hotel site on the Las Vegas Strip.
The stadium would feature a retractable roof and a playing surface that would allow the outfield to open to the corner of the Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard, providing views of the Strip.
It is also hoped that the stadium will serve as a hub for sports, entertainment and community engagement by hosting concerts and other events throughout the year. The A’s hope to break ground on the project next year, with a view to opening the stadium in time for the 2027 MLB season.
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo announced last week that a tentative agreement had been reached with the A’s to relocate the team to Las Vegas. The announcement came after the A’s had reached a binding agreement with Bally’s Corporation and Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc. (GLP) to build a ballpark on the Tropicana site.
The design of the ballpark is being handled by Brad Schrock of Schrock KC Architecture. The design will prioritise sustainability and modern amenities that focus on enhancing the fan experience.
A’s president Dave Kaval said: “We are excited to share our vision for the A’s potential new home. 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.
“It follows in the footsteps and success of the professional sports teams that come before us, in creating union jobs, stimulating economic growth and fostering investments in the community.
“Thanks to the vision of Bally’s and GLPI, we have the opportunity to bring baseball to one of the most energetic locations in Las Vegas. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Nevada governor, legislative leaders, Clark County commissioners and the Southern Nevada communities as we move forward with plans on our new home.”
Schrock added: “From the minute we stepped onto the Tropicana site nearly two years ago, it was immediately obvious what a fantastic fit it would be for a new A’s ballpark in Las Vegas.
“The natural orientation of the ballpark creates not only some of the best views and connection to the Las Vegas skyline from the seating bowl, but also opens up the ballpark to the corner in a way that creates opportunities for an amazing energetic public space with open and expansive views into the ballpark.”
The A’s had initially signed a binding agreement with Red Rock Resorts to build a new ballpark on a 49-acre site at Dean Martin Drive and Tropicana Avenue, before changing focus to the Tropicana hotel site. The new stadium is estimated to cost $1.5bn (£1.2bn/€1.4bn).
The A’s currently play in Oakland at the Coliseum, the team’s home since 1968, but its lease expires in 2024. The team has been exploring options to build a stadium in Las Vegas and had also pursued plans to construct a new venue in Oakland as part of a $12bn mixed-use project at the Howard Terminal site.
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