Rob Manfred gives 'timeline' update on A's stadium in Las Vegas

The Athletics are set to play their first season at the newly renovated Sutter Health Park, the 14,000-seat minor-league stadium in Sacramento that will serve as their temporary home while a new ballpark is built in Las Vegas.

The A's will play in California's capital for three years but can stay one more season if needed.

Rob Manfred feels the A's won't be needing to extend their stay. On Tuesday, the MLB commissioner said he still expects the team to make the permanent move to Vegas in 2028.

“I don’t think the timeline has changed,” said Manfred while speaking to the media in Phoenix. “I believe we’re going to be on time to go in 2028.”

Manfred, however, didn't have a start date for "when shovels will be in the ground," according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Rob Manfred says Sutter Health Park will be “as close to” a big league facility as possible when I asked him his impressions of his visit there. He says A’s stadium in Las Vegas still on track to be open by 2028. Doesn’t answer when shovels will be in the ground.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) February 18, 2025

Skepticism will remain until construction begins in Vegas.

Owner John Fisher has had multiple stadium proposals fall through in the Bay Area. In 2023, the A's abruptly abandoned the Howard Terminal stadium project in Oakland to pursue a stadium solution in Las Vegas.

The A's have taken all of the preliminary steps to get a ballpark built in Vegas, having secured $380 million of public funds from Nevada and Clark County and gaining approval on lease and non-relocation and development agreements from the Las Vegas Stadium Authority.

Fisher and his family have pledged to spend $1 billion on the stadium, whose price tag has increased to $1.75 billion. The remaining costs are expected to be covered by a $300 million loan from U.S. Bank and Goldman Sachs and equity purchases by investors.

Until Fisher officially signs on to have construction begin, though, the proposed 33,000-seat in Las Vegas will continue to be just that — a proposal.

MORE TOP STORIES from The Big Lead
NFL: Mock draft 9.0…
NBA: …Mock draft 1.0
NBA: L.A. unveils Kobe x Luka mural
MLB: Angels bleeding money; owner blames himself