On Monday morning, with piles of dirt, construction vehicles, and the future location of home plate at the new Athletics ballpark behind him, team owner John Fisher spoke to a large group, stating clearly: "We are Vegas' team."

The Oakland Athletics held a groundbreaking ceremony for their new $1.75 billion ballpark, which will hold 33,000 people and is expected to be ready for the 2028 season. Many important people attended, including MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, state and local government leaders, former Athletics stars like Rollie Fingers and Dave Stewart, and young Little League players.

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

Team President Marc Badain stated with strong conviction, "I am completely confident this project will be finished by 2028. The local workforce is well-known for its hard work and is ready to start right away."

It's good to see the positive impact of a day like today, and to think about how the next three years will significantly affect the community, including the building project, new jobs, and other benefits that will appear as this building starts to be built, possibly beginning tonight.

Badain experienced a similar situation when he worked for the NFL's Raiders. He was very important in their move from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020, and also in getting approval for 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 being a team that was about to leave, A's fans were very angry about their team moving soon and how it was handled.

This situation made Oakland an impossible place for the team to stay, and they played their last season in the old stadium last year. The A's are now playing in a Triple-A ballpark in West Sacramento, California, which is about an hour away, for at least three years while they wait to move to Las Vegas.

As a local team, we are focusing on building our fan base from the youngest age because if we can get the children interested, their parents will likely follow. This process is quicker than one might expect; the true difficulty lies in consistently creating a winning team.

Our objective is to expand on what we currently have, understanding that forming a team, much like constructing a stadium, often requires more time than anticipated. However, we believe we have the necessary components 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 space for the new ballpark.

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

In December, the Las Vegas Stadium Authority approved the lease, non-relocation, and development documents, which were the crucial final steps before the Athletics' expected move to Las Vegas.

The stadium's design, as shown in architectural drawings, features five overlapping layers that are quite similar to Australia's well-known Sydney Opera House. A large glass window behind the outfield gives it an open-air feel with views of the Las Vegas Strip. Instead of a single central cooling system, air conditioning will be provided directly through the seats.

This new MLB stadium will be the smallest in the league, even though Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, can hold 25,000 people when its upper sections are closed. Normally, it has a capacity of almost 40,000 seats.

The Rays, similar to the A's, are playing this season at a Triple-A ballpark because Hurricane Milton damaged their domed stadium. The long-term location for Tampa Bay's home is not yet decided, and the team might soon have new owners.

Progressive Field, home to the Cleveland Guardians, now accommodates 34,830 spectators, a reduction from its original capacity of 43,345 when the stadium first opened in 1994.

The Oakland A's are poised to become Las Vegas's fourth major league professional sports franchise, alongside the Raiders, Golden Knights, and Aces.

Manfred explained that the city's population characteristics, the achievements of other sports, and the high level of tourism make it a perfect place for their team. He was very confident that the team would do well in Las Vegas.