Exact A’s ballpark location unknown; Bally’s may seek partner on new resort
Where the Oakland Athletics’ Las Vegas ballpark will sit on the site of the shuttered Tropicana has yet to be determined as the master plan is still being put together, the chairman of the hotel-casino operator said.
And when it comes to building a new hotel-casino on the same Strip land, Bally’s Corp. Chairman Soo Kim said he is open to partnering with another resort operator to make the project come to fruition sooner.
“A partner that could help us accelerate, I would be open to,” Kim told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Current renderings show the $1.5 billion, 33,000-seat stadium planned for 9 acres at the southeast corner of the 36-acre site. Kim said Bally’s, the A’s, and landlord Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc., who are all working on the master plan, also are considering placing the stadium at the center of the property.
He said they first have to determine the best location for the replacement resort . Three acres are earmarked for a public plaza leading up to the stadium from the Strip.
A timeline for the construction of a new resort hasn’t been determined.
“We have asked our architects and planners to come up with a phased approach that will allow us to build the resort over time, either simultaneously with the ballpark or sometime thereafter,” Kim said.
Bally’s closed the Tropicana April 2 to ready the Rat Pack-era property for demolition. Plans call for the resort to be brought down in September or October, Kim said.
Bally’s and GGG Demolition hope to implode the Tropicana, but that is subject to demolition and blast permits being issued by the county.
Bally’s has until April 1, 2025, to complete the demolition. The three-year construction timeline would have the A’s beginning play in Las Vegas in 2028.
Agreement on meeting agenda
Before the A’s can begin construction, the team must have a series of agreements approved by the Las Vegas Stadium Authority.
The A’s will present a draft of the nonrelocation agreement at a May 16 stadium authority meeting, authority chairman Steve Hill said. That agreement will guarantee the A’s will stay in Las Vegas for at least 30 years, which will also be the length of the lease agreement.
The A’s still need to present drafts of development and lease agreements. The development agreement would lay out the A’s ballpark construction plans and how the team plans to finance the over $1 billion stadium project.
All three agreements will then need to be approved by the stadium authority board.
Earlier this year, the body approved the team’s community benefits agreement, which guarantees the A’s will carry out various initiatives to benefit Southern Nevada. Last year, Gov. Joe Lombardo signed a law approving a $380 million public funding package to help build the stadium.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.