After getting the approval of all 30 MLB franchises, the Oakland A’s have officially made the move to Las Vegas, Nevada. The team plans to remain in Oakland through 2024, but will start playing in their new stadium in Las Vegas once it is completed in 2028. The $1.5 billion, 30,000-seat stadium is set to be built on the site of the Tropicana resort on the Las Vegas Strip, after the A’s struck a deal with the owners and operators of the Tropicana, Bally’s Corporation and Gaming & Leisure Properties (GLPI).
The new stadium will feature a retractable roof and playing surface that offers views of the Strip. With an expected annual visitor count of 2.5 million, the A’s are optimistic about the move. Bally’s, the new owners of the Tropicana, have plans to build a 1,500-room hotel-casino across from the stadium once the Tropicana is demolished.
While in Vegas, the A’s will need to assess their options for a temporary ballpark to use until 2028. MLB has hinted at the possibility of the A’s staying in Oakland or utilizing the Las Vegas Ballpark, home of the minor league Aviators. The move to Vegas comes after failed discussions between the A’s and local authorities in Oakland regarding plans for a new stadium.
The A’s owner, John Fisher, acknowledged the mixed emotions surrounding the move but is excited to start the next chapter in Las Vegas. He thanked the Las Vegas and Nevada community for the warm welcome and expressed the team’s commitment to bringing home championships for their fans in their new home.
The project is set to receive up to $380 million in public funding from Nevada, with funding mainly coming from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Backers of the scheme aim to create a special tax district around the stadium to generate revenue to pay back the bonds and interest, without directly raising taxes.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred backed the recommendations of a relocation committee set up to evaluate the move. The committee found staying in Oakland untenable and deemed Las Vegas a better option for the team and competition. Manfred is optimistic about the move, highlighting the tremendous local support and expressing confidence that Las Vegas will be a great asset for Major League Baseball.