Work Crews Removing Tropicana Rubble From A’s Stadium Site On Strip While Athletics Prepare For Opening Day In West Sacramento In 73 Days; 6,500 Season Tickets Sold In Sacramento
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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — While the Athletics prepare for a new but temporary three-year stint at a ballpark in West Sacramento, California, work crews were busy Friday moving debris from the old Tropicana hotel site on the Strip to make way for their new stadium in Las Vegas.
Workers removing rubble from the site at Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue are getting the 35-acre parcel ready for an A’s stadium on a nine-acre footprint on the southeast corner of that intersection.
LVSportsBiz.com took these photos from the sidewalk on East Reno Avenue, a side street that borders the site’s south side.
The A’s hope to break ground in either April, May or June for a construction period of about 31 months that would lead to opening the $1.75 billion, 30,000-seat, domed stadium for the 2028 Major League Baseball season. The Athletics are partnering with Bally’s Corp. on the stadium project. Bally’s wants to build a hotel that would connect to the stadium via a pedestrian walkway.
For now, the A’s are now temporarily based in West Sacramento after 57 years in Oakland that ended Sept. 26.
The A’s said Friday the players will wear two new jersey patches on their uniforms for the 2025 season to mark playing in the Sacramento area and to honor franchise legend Rickey Henderson.
Also, fans who attend the team’s first game at Sutter Health Park March 31 will receive two giveaways: a trucker hat featuring the Sacramento patch and a Rickey Henderson rally towel.
The Sacramento jersey patch depicts Tower Bridge, which is behind the ballpark in right field, as well as the word “Sacramento” in script in the team’s traditional green and gold colors.
Meanwhile, the Rickey Henderson jersey patch will remember the late Henderson, a 2009 Hall-of-Famer. The team will wear a patch bearing Rickey’s number 24 for the 2025 season.
The A’s have sold out 6,500 season tickets at the Triple-A ballpark in West Sacramento. There are about 10,000 fixed seats and space for another 4,000 fans.
Meanwhile here in Las Vegas, the A’s want to open an office, likely in suburban Summerlin. The franchise has its Triple-A team, the Aviators, playing at Las Vegas Ballpark in Downtown Summerlin. A’s owner John Fisher says he will contribute more than $1 billion toward the new stadium, while 2023 state legislation has the public on the hook for $380 million.
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In a player deal, the Athletics agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher José Leclerc on a one-year contract for the 2025 season. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the A’s designated right-handed pitcher Will Klein for assignment. Leclerc was 6-5 with a save, a 4.32 ERA and .671 opponents OPS in 64 relief appearances with Texas last year. He struck out 89 batters in 66.2 innings (12.02 per nine innings) and tied for 14th in the majors among relievers in strikeouts.
