Vegas welcome
The Las Vegas publicity machine has gone all out to welcome the John Fisher-owned Athletics to the US gambling capital following an official groundbreaking ceremony.
complete with heavy construction vehicle props
The A’s broke ground on their new $1.75bn ballpark Monday in an event given the full Vegas promotional push, complete with heavy construction vehicle props.
The MLB franchise took to X to publicize “History in the making” as the A’s became the first MLB outfit to relocate since 2005:
The franchise’s search for a new home hit the news in 2021 after it could not negotiate a deal to replace the Oakland Coliseum in Northern California.
Social media abuzz
The Athletics’ groundbreaking on Monday garnered worldwide media attention.
In 2021 the franchise identified Vegas as an ideal new home, and two years later struck a deal to build their future ballpark on the site of the former Tropicana casino.
Artists’ impressions of the proposed ballpark resemble Australia’s Sydney Opera House in terms of architectural outlook, while the entire stadium will feature a glass wall and air-conditioned seats.
Clark County took to X ahead of the groundbreaking to state that it expects the stadium to welcome fans in Vegas for the opening day of the 2028 MLB season:
When the Athletics eventually take to a Las Vegas field, they will become the second formerly-Oakland-based major league sports team to call Sin City home. The NFL’s Raiders moved to Las Vegas from Oakland in 2020, its $2bn, 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium just off the Strip dubbed the Death Star.
Long road to Vegas
At the Monday ceremony, the A’s owner and President Mark Badain expressed what the franchise has gone through to get to Vegas.
“People just don’t understand everything that went into just getting to today.”
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred summed it up, saying “how hard” the franchise worked to create a new base in Vegas in “a stadium that’s going to be great for fans” and also fits into Sin City.
