Major League Baseball further entrenched itself in Southern Nevada on Monday, June 23 when the Las Vegas Athletics celebrated the groundbreaking of their new ballpark. The $1.75 billion project, set to rise on the iconic Las Vegas Strip, will be built on the former site of the Tropicana resort—a iconic location that’s yielding to the city’s newest sporting landmark.
The stadium, designed with a capacity of 30,000 seated fans and room for an additional 3,000 standing, is expected to be ready for the team’s debut season in 2028. While actual construction work has already started behind the scenes, Monday’s event made it official: Las Vegas is on track to become MLB’s newest home.
From Casino Legacy to Ballpark Future
One of the original casinos on the Strip, the Tropicana closed in April 2024 after nearly seven decades of operation. In October, the building was brought down in a controlled implosion, paving the way for the Athletics’ new stadium.
“This didn’t happen overnight,” A’s president Mark Badain said. “Years of planning, persistence, and negotiation got us to this point today.”
The project will occupy approximately nine acres of the 26-acre parcel. Along with the ballpark itself, the proposal features retail, entertainment areas, and a new resort—conceived to combine baseball with the round-the-clock energy of the Strip.
A Combination of Public and Private Investment
The stadium is being funded by a mix of money: $380 million in public financing approved by the Nevada Legislature in 2023, an investment by the A’s ownership group headed by the Fisher family, and additional private financing. The total price tag is higher than earlier estimates due to upgrades and inflation.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, who was at the ceremony, expressed confidence in the project schedule.
“We’re right where we’re going to be,” Manfred said. “There’s every reason to believe this stadium will be ready for the 2028 season.”
Designed for Desert Play—and Global Crowds
The stadium design includes split-level seating bowls, a fixed roof to manage heat, and design elements intended to give fans glimpses of the Las Vegas Strip. One highlight is an 18,000-square-foot Jumbotron—the largest in the league.
Team officials say they’re building not just for locals but for a global audience. “Las Vegas has its own homegrown fan base, but it also attracts nearly 45 million visitors a year,” Badain noted. “That gives us a special opportunity to welcome fans from everywhere—and hopefully turn some into A’s fans for life.”
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A Franchise in Transition
The A’s relocation to Las Vegas comes after years of failed stadium proposals in Northern California. Previous efforts in Fremont, San Jose, and Oakland never materialized. In 2023, the Las Vegas relocation was formally approved by the state, bringing an end to the long search for a permanent home.
For the time being, the team is playing in West Sacramento at Sutter Health Park, a temporary situation that will continue until 2027. The stadium, which is normally home to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, has a seating capacity of just over 14,000 spectators.
A’s a tribute to their rich baseball tradition—Philadelphia, Kansas City, and Oakland—the club is giving fans an opportunity to lock up future seats with a symbolic $19.01 deposit, a tribute to the year the franchise began.
With demolition in the rearview and construction ongoing, the Athletics are all in on Las Vegas—not as a new home, but as a destination for the future of baseball. Barring anything, the Strip will have its newest headliner in 2028—not a singer or a magician, but a baseball team ready for its next era.
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Las Vegas Athletics New Ballpark Project in Las Vegas Strip: Factsheet
Project Overview
Location: Las Vegas Strip, Nevada (former Tropicana resort site)
Total Investment: $1.75 billion
Groundbreaking Date: June 23, 2025
Expected Opening: 2028 MLB season
Stadium Specifications
Capacity: 30,000 seated fans + 3,000 standing room
Site Area: 9 acres (of 26-acre total site)
Key Features:
Fixed roof for desert climate management
Split-level seating bowls
18,000 square-foot Jumbotron (largest in MLB)
Views of Las Vegas Strip
Integrated retail and entertainment spaces
Financing Structure
Public Funding: $380 million (approved by Nevada Legislature, 2023)
Private Investment: Fisher family ownership group + additional private financing
Total Cost: $1.75 billion (increased from original estimates due to enhanced features and inflation)
Timeline & Key Milestones
April 2024: Tropicana casino closure (after 67 years)
October 2024: Controlled demolition of Tropicana
June 23, 2025: Official groundbreaking ceremony
2025-2027: Construction phase
2028: Stadium opening and team’s Las Vegas debut
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