Groundbreaking for Oakland Athletics’ $1.5bn Las Vegas stadium to take place June 23
A groundbreaking for the construction of the Oakland Athletics’ $1.5bn Las Vegas stadium with a design nod to Australia’s Sydney Opera House will take place on June 23 with construction expected to take 32 months, opening in time for the 2028 MLB season.
Site preparation started in late April, with the ceremony acting as a formal celebration A’s executives, state and local officials, and stakeholders in the project. Attendees will include A’s ownership, Governor Joe Lombardo, Nevada state legislators, and members of the Clark County Commission.
Shaped by its location at the former 35-acre Tropicana hotel site on the Las Vegas Strip, the 33,000-person capacity ballpark will provide an outdoor feel with views of the city’s skyline. The tiered design will split upper and lower seating bowls to bring fans closer to the action than traditional ballparks and provide clear sight lines from every seat. The roof’s five overlapping layers, whose design is inspired by traditional baseball pennants, open to the north to allow for natural light and views up the Strip, while also limiting direct sunlight and heat from the south. The outfield features the world’s largest cable-net glass window, facing the corner of Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevards. The ballpark is currently designed to include an 18,000-square-foot jumbotron, which would make it the largest screen in MLB.
Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Creative Director of BIG, design lead for the project, said: “Our design for the new Vegas home for the A’s is conceived in response to the unique culture and climate of the city. Five pennant arches enclose the ballpark – shading from the Nevada sun while opening to the soft daylight from the north. A giant window frames a majestic view of the life of the Strip and the iconic New York New York hotel skyline. All direct sunlight is blocked, while all the soft daylight is allowed to wash the field in natural light.
“The resultant architecture is like a spherical armadillo – shaped by the local climate – while opening and inviting the life of the Strip to enter and explore. In the city of spectacle, the A’s ‘armadillo’ is designed for passive shading and natural light – the architectural response to the Nevada climate generating a new kind of vernacular icon in Vegas.”
Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim said: “The A’s have created a remarkable design that adds to the rich fabric of must-see attractions in Las Vegas. This is a once-in-a-generation project, and we are thrilled for the opportunity to develop a comprehensive site plan at this iconic location. We look forward to sharing more on our plan in due course.”
The ballpark plan supports up to 2,500 on-site parking spots, as well as a two- to three-acre plaza that starts in the northwest corner of the site and extends to the ballpark’s main concourse. The overall parking plan will be determined in partnership with Bally’s and GLPI. The A’s are also working with Clark County and NDOT on traffic and transportation plans to ensure easy access to the stadium and will work with the Regional Transportation Commission on additional services such as the express bus service currently provided for T-Mobile Arena and Allegiant Stadium. Not only will this ease congestion, but it will reduce emissions.
Nevada’s leaders shared their support of A’s relcoation.
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo said: “We’re excited to welcome The Athletics to Las Vegas and to see their state-of-the-art ballpark come to life. The Athletics and their new home on the Las Vegas Strip will further Nevada’s reputation as an international sports destination, and we look forward to welcoming generations of baseball fans to our city and state.”
Jim Gibson, Chair of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, added: “This marks another great step forward in reinforcing our destination’s position as the premier global sports destination. The new ballpark will not only feature the most innovative architecture and design, but also incorporates key elements that capture the energy and excitement that is so unique to our destination.
