With piles of dirt, construction vehicles, and the precise spot for home plate at the new Athletics ballpark behind him, team owner John Fisher spoke to a large group on Monday morning, stating clearly, "We are Vegas' team."

During a well-attended ceremony, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, along with state and local officials, Athletics legends such as Rollie Fingers and Dave Stewart, and young baseball players, celebrated the start of construction for the new $1.75 billion ballpark. This stadium will hold 33,000 people and is planned to be ready before the 2028 season.

Nevada and Clark County have sanctioned the allocation of up to $380 million in public funds for the undertaking.

Team president Marc Badain expressed strong confidence that the project would be finished by 2028, emphasizing that the local workforce is fully prepared and eager to start.

It's good to see the positive outcome that today brings, and I'm looking forward to the significant impact the next three years will have on the community. This includes the construction project, the creation of new jobs, and all the other benefits that will appear as this building starts to be built, possibly as soon as tonight.

Badain experienced a similar situation 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 to the Bay Area despite being a team on its way out, A's fans were very angry about their team leaving soon and how it was handled.

As a result, staying in Oakland was no longer possible for the team, 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, for at least three years, while they wait to move to Las Vegas.

Fisher explained that as a local team, their strategy was to engage young fans, believing that attracting children would naturally bring in their parents. He noted that this process happens more quickly than one might expect, unlike the much longer effort required to build a winning team.

Our aim is to keep developing what we already have. Building a strong team, much like any significant project, often requires more time than anticipated, similar to the lengthy construction of a stadium. However, we believe we have the necessary components to achieve considerable success.

The stadium will be constructed on nine acres of Bally's 35-acre property, located at the corner of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard. The Tropicana's resort towers were demolished last October to create space for the new ballpark.

The Oakland A's are trying to make the most of their temporary home while also getting ready for their future. Each player wears a patch of Sacramento's Tower Bridge on one sleeve and a Las Vegas logo on the other. This is 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, and development agreements, which were the final essential steps for the A's to become Las Vegas' team.

The stadium's design, with its five overlapping levels, strongly resembles Australia's famous Sydney Opera House. A large glass window behind the outfield offers an open-air feel with views of the Las Vegas Strip. Instead of a central cooling system, air conditioning will be delivered directly through the seats.

This will be MLB's smallest stadium. However, Tropicana Field, where the Tampa Bay Rays usually play, has a capacity of 25,000 when the upper sections are closed. Otherwise, it can hold just under 40,000 people.

After Hurricane Milton damaged their domed stadium, the Rays, like the A's, are playing this season at a Triple-A ballpark. Tampa Bay's long-term home is unknown, and the club might soon have new owners.

Progressive Field, home to the Cleveland Guardians, currently 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 the fourth major league team to establish a presence in Las Vegas, following in the footsteps of the Raiders, the NHL's Golden Knights, and the WNBA's Aces.

Manfred stated that Las Vegas is an excellent market for them due to its favorable demographics, the proven success of other sports, and its significant tourism. He expressed strong confidence that the new team will be very successful there.