A’s Las Vegas ballpark development agreement set for potential October vote

The Athletics’ development agreement with Clark County will be the subject of a public hearing next month, ahead of its potential approval.

Clark County commissioners introduced an ordinance Wednesday to adopt the development agreement for the A’s $2 billion, 33,000-fan capacity ballpark. The document will be heard, along with public comment on the matter, at the Oct. 8 county zoning meeting, where the commissioners could then vote on its approval.

The document spells out the guidelines and regulations the A’s will be held to while constructing and operating their Las Vegas stadium.

The document also revealed that the A’s would be required to fund and build a Clark County Fire Department post and a Metropolitan Police Department holding area at the ballpark. The costs to build the spaces and provide the furniture and equipment needed for those will be in excess of $1 million, according to the agreement.

Clark County’s approval of the development agreement needs to occur before the A’s can tap up to $380 million in public funding for the project, as set forth in Senate Bill 1. The A’s must also set the guaranteed maximum price of the ballpark and finalize other financial requirements before the public funds are made available for the project.

The remaining financial elements are a recurring theme that some use to still express doubt that the stadium will be built, despite construction recently going vertical on the project. Crews last week began pouring concrete columns associated with work that will go from the ground level to the lower suite level of the stadium.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said he doesn’t understand why doubts still remain, especially after he attended the ballpark’s groundbreaking ceremony in June and subsequent construction thereafter.

“I think that John Fisher is 100 percent committed to being in Las Vegas, building a great building and making that club successful,” Manfred said. “Certainly, (he) had the financial resources to do it, no matter what lefts and rights came along the way. I was really pleased to get to the groundbreaking; I think it was concrete demonstration that there will be a team in Las Vegas.”

The A’s expect to have the stadium completed in early 2028 to be ready for the team’s Las Vegas debut that season.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.