In order for the Oakland A’s to begin playing in a new stadium on the site that the Tropicana Las Vegas currently occupies by the start of the 2028 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season, the famed casino resort will have to be closed and demolished by the end of 2024, officials involved with the project told the Las Vegas Stadium Authority (LVSA) October 25.
The recent LVSA meeting was the first time the board had met to discuss the project since the state Legislature passed a $380 million public funding package in June to go toward the construction of the proposed $1.5 billion, 33,000-seat stadium. The LVSA, which already oversees the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium, was also granted authority over the A’s proposed stadium as part of the legislation.
Representatives from the construction firm Mortensen McCarthy, which was hired by the A’s to oversee the project, told the board that the plan is to follow much of the same processes that went into the construction of Allegiant, also a Mortensen McCarthy project.
The firm’s Senior Vice President of Operations Ross Edwards told the board that construction must begin by April 2025 at the latest, as reported by the Nevada Independent.
General Manager Logan Gerken also confirmed that the firm has already started “engaging all of the key stakeholders that are seeking interest in this project,” according to the Independent.
Early renderings of the ballpark include plans for a semi-retractable roof, and the park itself is expected to take up nine of the 35 total acres on the site, which is owned by the real estate investment trust Gaming and Leisure Properties (GLPI).
Bally’s Corp., operators of the Tropicana, have agreed to relinquish the casino for demolition with the stipulation that the company can build a new property on the site once the stadium is constructed.
Representatives from local labor organizations also gave comments in support of the project.
One figure who was present at the meeting but did not comment to the board was A’s President Dave Kaval—the team did release an unattributed statement later that day saying that it would provide more details on the stadium and relocation process after the conclusion of the next round of MLB owners’ meetings, set for November 14-16 in Arlington, Texas.
“Whether it’s supporting community needs or ensuring that we are addressing all questions from policy leaders, we are committed to being a strong community partner and contributor,” the statement continued, per the Independent.
The team has still not yet received final relocation approval from MLB, which is the last remaining step to finalizing the move. In order for the move to be approved, the A’s will need a three-quarters majority vote from the other 29 team owners. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred previously told the Associated Press that he hopes the vote will take place at the aforementioned meetings in Arlington, but there is a chance it could spill into next year.
In addition to the MLB vote, the A’s must also secure over $1 billion in financing to fill out the rest of the construction costs, which have been estimated at $1.5 billion. Initial reporting has posited that much of that could come via private contributions from team owner John Fisher, whose parents Donald and Doris Fisher founded Gap Inc.
Steve Hill, chairman of the LVSA and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said at the recent meeting that drafts of the 30-year lease that the A’s would sign for the stadium as well as the community benefits program it would have to agree to are expected to be ready for first review by the board’s next meeting, which is scheduled for December 14.
Hill noted that the process of drafting both documents will be helped tremendously because of similarities with Allegiant.
“We’re fortunate to have had the opportunity to start from scratch from this process with the Raiders,” Hill said, as reported by the Independent. “This document has worked exceptionally well.”
