Aviators Taking Off With 4,800-5,000 Fans For Season-Opener In Summerlin Thursday
Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
Well, it’s been a while. The last time there was a Triple-A baseball game at the ol’ ballpark in Summerlin was Sept. 8, 2019.
Novel coronavirus pandemics will do that.
But Las Vegas Aviators President Don “Donnie Baseball” Logan told LVSportsBiz.com Tuesday that the team received the green light from Clark County for 50 percent capacity with social distancing, meaning up to 5,000 fans can attend Thursday’s season-opener for the top minor league affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.
“They gave us thumbs up for 50% with social distancing which should let us get around 4800-5000,” Logan wrote in an email.
LVSportsBiz.com strolled the main concourse of the minor league ballpark on Media Day Tuesday, watching workers install a BMW dealership ad on a dugout and the Aviators players doing a workout.
During their first season in Downtown Summerlin, the Aviators led the minors in attendance thanks to a gem of a $150 million ballpark, which is owned by Summerlin master developer and Aviators owner Howard Hughes Corporation.
The LVCVA, the Las Vegas public tourism agency, gave Howard Hughes Corp. $80 million in the form of a naming rights deal, which is why the venue is officially called, “Las Vegas Ballpark.” It’s unclear why a public agency charged with attracting out-of-town visitors to Las Vegas would spend $80 million in public money on a venue that serves primarily locals.
The gorgeous ballpark has 22 suites, a nice club area and a swimming pool beyond the centerfield fence. Howard Hughes Corp. rebranded the old Las Vegas 51s into the Aviators with the move from downtown Las Vegas to Summerlin and sold more than $1 million in merchandise during that inaugural season in 2019.
COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 Minor League Baseball season and there was no joy in Downtown Summerlin.
But they will be back in two days when half the ballpark is occupied with baseball fans.
