With piles of dirt, construction vehicles, and the precise spot where home plate will be at the new Athletics ballpark behind him on Monday morning, team owner John Fisher spoke to a large group with a clear message: "We are Vegas' team."

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, along with important state and local officials, former Athletics stars like Rollie Fingers and Dave Stewart, and young Little Leaguers, watched as the team celebrated starting work on a new $1.75 billion ballpark. This stadium will hold 33,000 people and is expected to be ready for the 2028 season.

Nevada and Clark County have authorized the use of up to $380 million in public money for the project.

"Team president Marc Badain stated he was confident the project would be completed by 2028, citing the readily available and eager local workforce as a key factor."

It's good to see the positive impact of a day like today, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the next three years will bring for the community, the construction project, new jobs, and all the other benefits that will appear as this building starts to be built, possibly even tonight.

Badain had a similar experience when he worked for the NFL's Raiders. He was very important in the team's move from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020, and also in getting approval and building the $2 billion Allegiant Stadium.

While Allegiant Stadium was being built, the Raiders stayed in Oakland for three seasons, sharing their stadium with the A's. Even though the Raiders kept a strong connection with their fans in the Bay Area despite knowing they would leave, A's fans were very angry about their team moving and how it was handled.

The poor condition of their stadium in Oakland made it impossible for the franchise to stay, leading to their final season there last year. The A's are now playing for at least three years at a Triple-A ballpark in West Sacramento, California, while they wait to move to Las Vegas.

Fisher explained that as a local team, they aim to attract young fans first, believing that if children are engaged, their parents will follow. He noted that this process is quicker than one might expect, but building a winning team takes much longer.

Our aim is to expand on what we already have, and creating a team is similar to any other building process. It often takes longer than expected, much like constructing a stadium. Nevertheless, we believe we have the necessary elements to achieve significant success.

The stadium will be constructed on nine acres of the 35-acre site owned by Bally's, located at the corner of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard. The Tropicana's resort towers were demolished overnight in October to make way for the new ballpark.

The Oakland A's are trying to make the most of their temporary home while also planning for their future. Their players wear a patch of Sacramento's Tower Bridge on one sleeve and a Las Vegas logo on the other, as part of a three-year sponsorship deal with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

In December, the Las Vegas Stadium Authority approved the lease, non-relocation agreement, and development plans, which were the final important steps for the Athletics to move to Las Vegas.

The artist's designs show a stadium with five overlapping levels, which looks very similar to Australia's famous Sydney Opera House. A large glass window behind the outfield makes it feel like you're outside, with views of the Las Vegas Strip. Instead of one central cooling system, air conditioning will be provided through the seats.

This new stadium will be the smallest in MLB, even though Tropicana Field, where the Tampa Bay Rays play, can hold 25,000 people when the upper sections are closed. Its full capacity is almost 40,000 seats.

The Rays, similar to the A's, are playing this season in a Triple-A ballpark because Hurricane Milton damaged their domed stadium. The team's future home is uncertain, and new owners might take over the club soon.

Progressive Field, home to Cleveland's baseball team, currently accommodates 34,830 spectators, a reduction from its original capacity of 43,345 when the stadium debuted in 1994.

The Oakland A's are poised to become the fourth major professional sports franchise in Las Vegas, joining the ranks of the Raiders, the NHL's Golden Knights, and the WNBA's Aces.

Manfred stated that the combination of good demographics, the proven success of other sports, and the significant tourism in Las Vegas makes it an excellent market for them, and he is confident the team will be very successful there.