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

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, along with state and local officials, former Athletics stars like Rollie Fingers and Dave Stewart, and young baseball players, watched as the team celebrated starting construction on their 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 committed up to $380 million in public funding to the undertaking.

Team president Marc Badain stated with strong conviction, "I am completely confident that this project will be finished by 2028. The workforce is already here and prepared to start; they have the necessary skills and are keen to begin."

It is good to see the positive impact of today, and to think about what the next three years will mean for the community, the building project, new jobs, and all the other benefits that will appear as this building is constructed, possibly starting tonight.

Badain experienced a similar situation when he worked in the same role for the NFL's Raiders. He was crucial in the team's move from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020, as well as the approval and building of the $2 billion Allegiant Stadium.

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

The poor condition of their stadium in Oakland made it impossible for the team to stay there, so they played their last season in the old stadium last year. The A's are now playing temporarily at a smaller ballpark in West Sacramento, California, while they wait to move to Las Vegas.

Fisher explained that as a local team, their goal was to attract young fans first, as he believed that if they could get the children interested, their parents would also become involved. He stressed that building a successful team took much more time than the initial effort to reach out to fans.

Our aim is to expand on what we already have, and creating a team is similar to any other major project. It often takes more time than expected, much like constructing a stadium. Nevertheless, we believe we have the necessary components to achieve considerable success.

The stadium will be constructed on nine acres of the 35-acre property 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 getting ready for their future. Their uniforms show this, with a Sacramento Tower Bridge patch on one sleeve and a Las Vegas logo on the other. This is part of a three-year sponsorship agreement 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 last important steps for the Athletics to eventually move to Las Vegas.

Artist renderings show a stadium with five overlapping levels that look like Australia's famous Sydney Opera House. A large glass window behind the outfield gives an outdoor feeling with views of the Las Vegas Strip. Instead of one central cooling system, air conditioning will be provided through the seats.

This will be MLB's smallest stadium. While Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, can hold 25,000 people when its upper sections are closed, its full capacity is nearly 40,000 seats.

Due to Hurricane Milton's damage to their domed stadium, the Rays, similar to the A's, are playing this season at a Triple-A ballpark. Tampa Bay's long-term home is uncertain, and the team 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 expected to be the fourth major professional sports team in Las Vegas, joining the Raiders, the NHL's Golden Knights, and the WNBA's Aces.

Manfred stated that the combination of good demographics, the success of other sports, and the large tourism industry makes Las Vegas an ideal market, and he is confident the team will do very well there.