In what can be described as a milestone decision, the future of Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics has been unanimously determined by the league’s 20 franchises, leading the team to bid farewell to California as they plan to make a new home in Las Vegas, Nevada. In an announcement that has rippled through the sports community, MLB conveyed that while the A’s will continue to play in Oakland through the 2024 season, the shift to Las Vegas will not occur until their state-of-the-art $1.5 billion ballpark is complete in 2028. The 30,000-capacity venue is set to rise from the current site of The Tropicana on the celebrated Las Vegas Strip.
Earlier this year, a pivotal deal was struck between the A’s and the ownership group of The Tropicana, encompassing Bally’s Corporation and Gaming & Leisure Properties (GLPI). This agreement places the future venue on a nine-acre segment of The Tropicana’s 35-acre property. Complementary to this arrangement, GLPI has made provisions to contribute as much as $175 million towards shared improvements in the forthcoming development project; this investment will be balanced with an adjustment in rent.
The Athletics revealed ambitious plans for the new stadium, including a retractable roof and an ingenious design enabling the outfield to unveil panoramic vistas of Las Vegas Boulevard and the Strip. The ballpark aspires to attract upwards of 2.5 million spectators and visitors every year.
In line with these developments, the fate of The Tropicana, a stalwart presence and one of the oldest hotels on the Strip, appears sealed, with reported plans for its demolition. As per reports by The Nevada Independent, post-demolition Bally’s has designs to erect a new 1,500-room hotel-casino across from the completed stadium, highlighting this new hotel-casino as distinct from the ballpark.
The acquisition saga involving The Tropicana by Bally’s from GLPI took place back in September 2022, involving a deal worth $148 million. This transaction led Bally’s into a 50-year ground lease with GLPI, with provisions for extension up to a near-century mark conditioned on achieving certain developmental milestones. Bally’s has revealed intentions of maintaining The Tropicana’s Las Vegas functions in the short term while contemplating an extensive redevelopment of the site adjacent to the forthcoming stadium.
The whereabout of the A’s in the interim, leading up to the christening of their Las Vegas ballpark, is under consideration by MLB, with several options laid out for potential temporary homes. Speculation is rife that the team might continue using Oakland facilities until 2028 or seek temporary residence at Oracle Park, home to the San Francisco Giants. An alternative posited is the 8,000-seat Las Vegas Ballpark, the home turf of the minor league’s Aviators.
This relocation follows a protracted standoff between the Athletics and Oakland’s authorities regarding plans for a new stadium, catalyzing the A’s pursuit of a new horizon as their lease at the Oakland Coliseum expires soon. By completing this move, the Athletics will be joining ranks with the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights and the NFL’s Raiders, marking Las Vegas’ third major league outfit.
The transition is met with a blend of sentiments from team owner John Fisher, who acknowledged the emotional weight of such a move while expressing gratitude and anticipation for the future in Las Vegas. His resolve lies in delivering further championships to their fans and honoring their prospective home.
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo has already set wheels in motion by endorsing a bill assigning up to $380 million in public funding towards the stadium’s construction. These funds are anticipated to derive through a blend of transferable tax credits and county bonds. Proponents have undertaken to establish a special tax district encircling the planned stadium that will not result in a direct tax increase but will ideally service the repayment of bonds and interest.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred solidified the decision by affirming the league’s endorsement of recommendations from a relocation committee’s extensive evaluation. The committee’s verdict deemed Oakland’s situation inviable, casting Las Vegas as a superior choice for both the A’s and the sport. Manfred expressed his confidence in Las Vegas becoming a considerable asset for Major League Baseball.
