Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is set to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Athletics’ new ballpark in Las Vegas, which will take place at the former Tropicana hotel site. This event marks a significant development in the A’s relocation process, which began in earnest after Manfred authorized the team to explore relocation options in May 2021 due to unsuccessful attempts to secure a new stadium in Oakland.
The groundbreaking ceremony will see attendance from various dignitaries, including A’s ownership, team executives, alumni, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, local officials, and legislative members. The event symbolizes the culmination of over four years of efforts to establish the A’s new home in Las Vegas.
Preparatory work on the stadium site has been underway, with site grading completed across the 9-acre area intended for the ballpark. The project is overseen by contractor Mortenson-McCarthy, with an office trailer compound already set up. Recently, Clark County issued building permits for foundation and utility work, valued at $45.6 million, allowing the A’s to proceed with constructing the stadium’s foundation.
A’s President Marc Badain expects foundation work to commence on July 1, with cranes arriving shortly thereafter to begin setting steel, making progress on the stadium more visible. Additionally, the A’s have applied for a permit to construct concrete up to the main concourse of the stadium, a project valued at $87.3 million, which is currently pending approval. The new ballpark is anticipated to be ready for the 2028 MLB season.