The Oakland Athletics has had its plans for relocation to Las Vegas approved by the other owners in Major League Baseball (MLB), with a new ballpark set to open on the Las Vegas Strip in time for the 2028 season.
Back in May, the A’s reached an agreement with Bally’s to construct its new home ground, valued at around $1.5bn.
The franchise had been looking for a new home stadium, having failed to secure a deal to replace the Oakland Coliseum, which opened back in 1966.
The team will play its final season at the Coliseum next year and is working with the MLB to find an interim home before its Las Vegas move is complete, the third time the Athletics franchise has moved since its inception in 1901.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said: “There was an effort over more than a decade to find a stadium solution in Oakland. It was John Fisher’s preference. It was my preference.
“This is a terrible day for fans in Oakland. I understand that and that’s why we’ve always had a policy of doing everything humanly possible to avoid a relocation, and truly believe we did that in this case. I think it’s beyond debate that the status quo in Oakland was untenable.”
Gaming and Leisure Properties showed its support for the decision made by the MLB, saying: “The arrival of the A’s as well as the new stadium and adjacent entertainment and casino resort, both of which are expected to open in 2028, represents a transformational project for Las Vegas, baseball fans, the local community and local employment, which will build on the city’s reputation for delivering unrivaled world-class entertainment options.”
This week, however, local non-profit organization Schools Over Stadiums said it plans to file a lawsuit regarding the Oakland A’s stadium funding bill, seeking to overturn it.
