A’s want Las Vegas ballpark plaza to have elements of T-Mobile

The Oakland Athletics hope to turn the 4 acres of land leading up to their planned Las Vegas ballpark into an area similar to the one near T-Mobile Arena.

Bally’s Corp., which owns the Tropicana, will share the space leading up to the 9 acres of land allotted for the A’s to construct their planned $1.5 billion, 30,000- to 33,000-seat MLB stadium. The team envisions that area as having various amenities to create a lively atmosphere.

“It’s a really important piece because it really becomes the front door to both Bally’s (future project) and the ballpark,” Brad Schrock, A’s director of design, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “That’s been envisioned to be active 365 days a year with retail, entertainment and dining opportunities.”

Other features that the A’s have discussed includes a sports hall of fame and various pieces of art.

“One thing we do know is that it’s gotta be energized and really be a destination for people in Las Vegas,” Schrock said.

Two design groups are developing their plans for the A’s ballpark, working toward the MLB team choosing between the pair later this year.

The A’s looked at The Park that leads up to T-Mobile Arena and features multiple bars, restaurants, activations and art elements. Before and after Golden Knights games and other events at the arena, the park is jam-packed with patrons, which adds to the atmosphere for eventgoers.

“I actually saw it (The Park) from aerial photographs before I actually experienced it and I was really surprised with how successful that was,” Schrock said. “I think there will definitely be pieces of that leading up to the ballpark.”

As the A’s look at how to bring an outdoor feel to the ballpark, looking at different retractable roofing and wall options for a climate controlled facility, they are also looking at how to make the plaza area as comfortable as possible, especially in the sweltering desert heat.

“One of the things that we’ve got in the mix that we’re asking the architects to study is whether or not that space is covered in some fashion,” Schrock said. “Whether it be a canopy, or what level of conditioning is it to make sure it’s active in the summer and the winter months. The primary goal is that it’s a place that people want to be. We’ve talked about it as being the living room for Las Vegas.”

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.