How will the Oakland Athletics pay for their Las Vegas ballpark?

Jul 22, 2024, 8:48 AM

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 28: A general view shows the closed Tropicana Las Vegas site on June 28, 2...

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

A representative of the Oakland Athletics said last week that the team is in “good shape” regarding securing financing for its future $1.5 billion stadium on the Las Vegas Strip. But how?

The Nevada Independent‘s Howard Stutz joined The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross on Monday to lay out how the A’s plan to fund their planned Las Vegas ballpark, share what locals are feeling about Major League Baseball arriving in 2028, and much more.

Plus, Stutz and Dave forecast what home attendance in Las Vegas would be like if this ballpark is completed.

Topics Discussed

What is the pulse of Las Vegas residents on the Athletics moving to Nevada?
The A’s were in front of the Las Vegas Authority board last week to give a presentation on stadium funding
How much public money will the Athletics need from the city of Las Vegas to build the stadium?
“Some fans are just saying, ‘why are we doing this?'”
How likely is it that owner John Fisher will be able to pay for the ballpark through private equity?
Many in Las Vegas are curious to see how the team performs on and off the field in Sacramento
What will home attendance be like for Athletics games in Las Vegas?
MLB players from Las Vegas like Bryce Harper believe that the city should get a team by way of expansion
Has The Sphere been a success thus far?

Listen to The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross from 6 – 10 a.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.

Click here for full episodes of The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross.

More on the Oakland Athletics relocation to Sacramento

The Oakland Athletics will relocate to Sacramento beginning next season, but hurdles remain in ensuring their home ballpark meets MLB standards by Opening Day 2025.

According to Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, Sutter Health Park will receive major-league upgrades–including an entirely new playing surface–before next season begins.

The West Sacramento ballpark is home of the San Francisco Giants’ AAA affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats, and both the Athletics and River Cats will share the diamond for at least the next three seasons as the city of Las Vegas begins construction on a stadium.

The target date for completing the Las Vegas ballpark is 2028, but many around the league are skeptical that will come to fruition. This means that MLB and Sacramento will need to upgrade Sutter Health Park for the long haul in case the A’s remain in Northern California past the 2027 season.

“They are actually constructing a separate building adjacent to the stadium that will be the home clubhouse,” Manfred said in late May at the conclusion of MLB’s spring owner meetings, per The Athletic‘s Evan Drellich.

“They’re renovating the visiting clubhouse. There’s going to be new artificial turf installed. They are upgrading the camera capability, so they get major-league quality broadcasts out of Sacramento,” Manfred continued. “There are some revenue-associated renovations: some club seating and video boards that are being done in the stadium.

“So, there’s a lot going on there to get it up to snuff for the interim period. They’ve had great receptivity. I think they have seat deposits from, like, 13,000 people or something. They’re doing okay.”

Athletics release inaugural 2025 MLB schedule in Sacramento

Sutter Health Park and the River Cats are owned by Vivek Ranadive, owner of the Sacramento Kings.

“I’m thrilled to welcome the A’s to Sutter Health Park, where players and fans alike can enjoy a world-class baseball experience and create unforgettable memories,” Ranadive said. “Today marks the next chapter of professional sports in Sacramento. The passion of our fans is second to none, and this is an incredible opportunity to showcase one of the most dynamic and vibrant markets in the country.”

Major League Baseball approved the Athletics’ proposal for relocation to Las Vegas in November.

Plans are in place for a $1.5 billion, nine-acre stadium at the site of the Tropicana Hotel with the City of Las Vegas granting $380 million in public funding for construction in 2023. However, the ballpark will not open until at least the end of the 2027 calendar year, meaning the first season it could host the A’s in the regular season would be 2028.

Sutter Health Park opened in 2000 and has 10,624 seats, but could be modified to accommodate up to 14,000.