Construction timeline for proposed A’s Las Vegas ballpark detailed in lease docs

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - The Las Vegas Stadium Authority shed light on construction timelines and a future lease agreement with the Oakland Athletics, kicking off the first few of a dozens of deals for the construction and operation of a Strip ballpark.

The ballpark bill passed by the Nevada Legislature tasks the Las Vegas Stadium Authority with oversight of the “stadium district”: revenues generated by the ballpark must help repay public financing. The Authority oversees construction, operations and facility maintenance, and also enforces the implementation of mandated “community benefits” like a $2 million donation annually.

FOX5 aired the meeting for live public viewing, as live recordings are not provided by the Stadium Authority; audio recordings are available to the public upon request after meetings.

The team hired Mortenson | McCarthy to serve as construction manager for the planned ballpark. The firm disclosed that construction would start in April 2025, with completion set for spring 2028.

Senate Bill 1 mandated the Tropicana Hotel as the site of the future ballpark and stadium district. said Steve Hill of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Hill said the A’s are required to give Bally’s a 12-month notice before starting construction, and the demolition of the Tropicana Hotel could be slated for early 2025.

“We need to get this work done. This work is going to take the amount of time that we have allocated to do it,” Hill said. noting that similar legwork for 30 documents was started for Allegiant Stadium before the NFL approved the Raiders’ relocation. Hill said he is aware of a forthcoming Major League Baseball owners vote in November.

Mortenson | McCarthy was hired by the Raiders to build Allegiant Stadium. A representative told the Authority that the group plans meetings with community members and vendors to garner feedback for construction. The famed Neon Museum, which restores and displays historic Las Vegas signs, will also assist with design features.

Hill said the dozens of contracts between the Stadium Authority and the Raiders for Allegiant Stadium provided a framework for forthcoming agreements with the Athletics.

Some key highlights of a future lease with the Athletics, with some details still under negotiation:

• A 30-year commitment for tenancy
• The Athletics can buy the stadium after 30 years
• Options for renewed leases
• No rent
• All operations are conducted by and paid for by the team
• Maintenance of facility standards

“Making it crystal clear: the A’s are responsible for all repairs, all capital repairs, to a standard,” said attorney Mark Arnold on behalf of the Stadium Authority. Arnold also stated the Authority will mandate construction of some parking for fans, though the facility will not offer enough spaces for all guests. Numerous nearby resorts along the Las Vegas Strip boast massive parking structures that often charge flat rates for major events and games.

Hill called for the Authority to develop a game plan for a future aging stadium, if the Athletics leave the site or Las Vegas in several decades. The Authority would be responsible for creating leases for new tenants—or demolition.

“To have a decaying stadium in the middle of that intersection would be detrimental. This is 50, 60, 70 years from now, but is something important we consider now… demolition would be difficult to do,” Hill said.

The Authority also reviewed the draft of the community benefits agreement, spelled out by SB1. Mandated benefits include a livable wage for workers and aid for employees struggling to pay rent.

A notable presence for public comment at Stadium Authority recent meetings: members of the political action committee “Schools Over Stadiums,” created by the Nevada State Education Association. The group hopes to put $380 million in public financing and funding to a statewide vote in a referendum. A lobbyist for the Athletics recently filed a legal complaint to invalidate any signatures collected by the PAC.

“It’s a monument to our misguided priorities,” said Alexander Marks with NSEA. “Nevadans do not like this deal,” he said, describing a stadium as a “monument to why we are 48th in the nation [for education].”

Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority had previously called the efforts “misguided” and “hard to get that on the ballot,” describing benefits like thousands of jobs and tourism that will come from the future stadium.

“If we have to, we’ll deal with it then,” Hill said, when asked about the referendum Wednesday.

The completed lease and community benefits agreements will be available for the public to see at the December meeting.

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