A’s take new step with deal approval for $2B Strip ballpark
Clark County commissioners unanimously approved the Athletics’ Las Vegas ballpark development agreement Wednesday, marking the latest regulatory hurdle cleared by the Major League Baseball team on its $2 billion project.
The agreement, which was approved as part of a multiple-item consent zoning commission agenda, details the regulations of the construction and operations of the 33,000-fan capacity stadium. The approval will also smooth the permitting process as work continues on the phased project; the county has been issuing permits ahead of the agreement’s approval, to allow for the A’s to stay on schedule for the planned 2028 opening of the ballpark.
The agreement also details how the project will be regulated by county air quality, dust mitigation, water conservation and storm water permit requirements. It will also have to meet Federal Aviation Administration guidelines.
Clark County’s approval was also a needed step before the A’s could request up to $380 million in public funding for the project, as set forth in Senate Bill 1. Before public funds are made available, the A’s must also set the guaranteed maximum price of the ballpark and finalize other financial requirements, including spending the first $100 million on the project.
An update on where the A’s stand on the project in relation to those requirements is expected to be made during the November Las Vegas Stadium Authority meeting.
The A’s are responsible for paying all costs on the stadium’s construction, outside of the $380 million in public funds approved for the project from the state and Clark County. That includes infrastructure improvement costs outside of the $25 million pledged to the project by the county, for improving vehicular and pedestrian access to the stadium.
Fire, police spaces
The agreement also included a requirement that the A’s build and equip the ballpark with a Metropolitan Police Department holding area and a Clark County Fire Department post. That includes $1.15 million going toward a firefighter post and equipment, including $300,000 for a hazardous-material engine.
Patrick Rafter, president of Clark County Firefighters Local 1908, a union that represents over 900 county firefighters, lauded the A’s for their commitment to the department.
“The agreement to build a fire post onsite, funding for the purchase of necessary apparatus and the generous donation to support the initial development of a hazmat program,” Rafter said as the lone speaker on the agreement during the public comment period. “As many of you know, Clark County shuttered its hazmat program many years ago. However, thanks to this capital investment Local 1908, alongside with chief (Billy) Samuels, county management will begin negotiation to re-establish hazmat operations in Clark County. This is a critical service the community needs and for that we are truly grateful.”
Adding 81 additional events
With the continued boom of professional sports teams and venues opening in the Las Vegas Valley, Rafter said the fire team that handles such events is at risk of being overwhelmed with the number of games and special events taking place in Southern Nevada. Rafter said that in May, the union requested meetings with the county on how to improve the efficiency and productivity of the special events team, as the A’s ballpark comes online and other large events are held in the valley.
“These dedicated members are often pulled from their regularly assigned fire stations to work the events, frequently into the early hours of the next morning,” Rafter said. “As you can imagine, the volume and the scale of special events in Clark County have grown significantly. … While we’re optimistic about the future of baseball in Las Vegas and hopeful for a successful team with deep playoff runs, we must also acknowledge the operational reality. You’ve essentially added 81 additional events that will be staffed by an already strained system.”
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Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.
