Timeline: Athletics’ Las Vegas ballpark groundbreaking is a moment more than 4 years in the making

With the A’s ballpark groundbreaking, take a look back at the milestones that took it from speculation to reality.

By Alyssa Roberts

(KTNV) — A date more than four years in the making has been set for the Athletics to break ground on their planned ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip.

The organization held a ceremonial groundbreaking at the site of the future ballpark on June 23.

This development marks the next step forward in what has been a lengthy process of relocating the Major League Baseball team from Oakland to Las Vegas. The timeline from speculation to reality has been marked by significant milestones and watched intently by Las Vegas locals — some excited about the prospect of another major professional sports team in their city, others skeptical.

Here’s a look back at the four-year process that got us here...

May 18, 2021 — A’s make their search for a home outside Oakland official

After getting permission from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, Athletics executives traveled to Southern Nevada to explore their relocation options outside Oakland. Both the A›s and Manfred were in agreement that the aging Coliseum was no longer a suitable venue for Major League Baseball, the Associated Press later reported.

June 24, 2021 — A’s confirm lengthy list of potential Las Vegas ballpark sites

Then-A’s President Dave Kaval made another visit to Las Vegas to look at land. At the time, Kaval told Channel 13 the team had a list of about two dozen potential locations, including land near Circus Circus, another plot north of Harry Reid International Airport, and Cashman Field.

March 17, 2022 — Amid back-and-forth over a new ballpark in Oakland, the A’s narrow their search in Las Vegas

Athletics president Dave Kaval confirmed to Channel 13 that the organization had its eye on five potential ballpark locations in Las Vegas, all of which fell in the Resort Corridor. At the time, the A’s were embroiled in negotiations over a new ballpark in Oakland, but were thrown a curveball when a planning committee voted “no” on their proposal.

April 20, 2023 — A’s reach agreement on ballpark site that wasn’t meant to be

The Athletics confirmed a deal to buy 49 acres of land west of the Strip, “right near Allegiant,” according to then-President Dave Kaval. Those plans would fail to materialize, with the A’s opting to ink a deal with Bally’s Corporation for the Tropicana land instead.

May 15, 2023 — Bally’s and the Athletics make it official

Months of speculation were put to rest when Bally’s Corporation announced it had reached a deal with the Oakland Athletics to construct a ballpark on the Tropicana Las Vegas property. It also marked a reversal on the A›s part after the organization previously confirmed a deal to purchase land just west of the Strip.

May 26, 2023 — First renderings of the proposed ballpark are released

An initial set of renderings of the proposed 33,000-capacity ballpark shows how much the team›s vision for their future stadium has evolved over time. This set of renderings featured a partially retractable roof that would have opened the outfield to the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue.

June 14, 2023 — Lawmakers approve legislation to partially fund ballpark construction with public dollars

The passage of Senate Bill 1 marked a significant milestone in the development process, allocating $380 million in public funds toward the construction of the proposed ballpark. Lawmakers added a stipulation requiring the A’s to pay out $2 million per year toward community programs in the Las Vegas Valley once they start playing on the Strip. Gov. Joe Lombardo signed it into law on June 15, 2023.

Nov. 16, 2023 — Athletics get the green light to relocate

A unanimous vote of Major League Baseball owners marked the official go-ahead for the Oakland Athletics to pursue their relocation plans.

March 5, 2024 — The ballpark gets its “spherical armadillo” shape

New renderings are released, revealing a ballpark designed to look like a “spherical armadillo” that has been shaped by the local climate, designers with Bjarke Ingels Group told Channel 13.

Designers also revealed the stadium is expected to feature an 18,000-square-foot Jumbotron that would be the largest in Major League Baseball.

April 4, 2024 — The A’s find a new, temporary home to play ball

The Athletics, facing homelessness with the expiration of their lease at the historic Coliseum in Oakland, announced a deal with the Sacramento River Cats to play ball at Sutter Health Park for the 2025-27 MLB seasons.

Oct. 9, 2024 — The Tropicana implosion marks the end of an era on the Las Vegas Strip

Fireworks and fanfare preceded the fall of the iconic Las Vegas Strip property after nearly 70 years on the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue. The implosion paved the way for the construction of the ballpark, which is expected to take up nine acres of the 35-acre site.

Feb. 6, 2025 — New blueprints and construction plans paint a clearer picture of the future ballpark

A land use permit filed with Clark County included answers to a major concern locals expressed about the ballpark plans: parking. The permits reviewed by Channel 13 included plans for 2,470 on-site parking spaces, which is significantly less than the county-recommended 7,500 spaces. The team is banking on baseball-goers using other forms of transportation to get to the park.

March 6, 2025 — New renderings reveal the vision for what’s inside the stadium

While renderings released to the public up to this point had largely been focused on the ballpark’s exterior, this new batch offered a better idea of what baseball fans could expect to see inside the stadium. With this release, A›s officials also revealed plans for cooling systems under the ballpark›s seats.

April 15, 2025 — Clark County Commission approves special ballpark tax district

This is one of several ways that up to $380 million in public funding is being broken up to pay for the project, which is now estimated to cost $1.75 billion (up from initial estimates of $1.5 billion. The increase has been attributed, at least in part, to higher construction costs.)

June 23, 2025 — The A’s will break ground on the ballpark project

The Athletics hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking to mark the official start of construction on their Las Vegas ballpark. The ceremony held at the former Tropicana site at 8 a.m.