‘Big day for MLB in Vegas’: Commissioner to attend A’s ballpark groundbreaking ceremony

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred will be among the dignitaries in attendance at Monday’s Athletics Las Vegas ballpark groundbreaking ceremony.

Manfred confirmed his plans to attend the ceremony, set for 8 a.m. Monday at the former Tropicana hotel site, to the Review-Journal on Thursday morning.

“Big day for MLB in Vegas,” Manfred said Thursday in an email confirming his attendance.

In May 2021, Manfred gave the A’s the green light to begin exploring potential relocation after several years of failed attempts to get a new ballpark built in the Oakland area. Since Las Vegas emerged as the team’s future location, Manfred has remained steadfast in his support of the project and his confidence that it will be completed in time for the 2028 MLB season.

Also expected to attend the ceremony are A’s ownership, team executives and alumni, Gov. Joe Lombardo, Clark County commissioners, Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley, legislative members and members of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors and Las Vegas Stadium authorities.

With work already occurring on the stadium site, the event will serve as a celebration of more than four years of work to get to the point of construction.

Since late April, crews have been working on site grading to prepare the 9 acres for construction of the stadium. The office trailer compound, from which contractor Mortenson-McCarthy is overseeing the project, is also in place.

On Wednesday, Clark County issued the A’s three building permits to begin ballpark foundation work and utility work that will go underneath the concrete foundation. That work is valued at $45.6 million, according to Clark County records.

A’s President Marc Badain said last month that he expects foundation work to begin on July 1, with cranes expected to arrive at the site in July. At that point crews will be able to start to set steel on the project, and its progress will then be more noticeable, Badain said.

The A’s also have submitted a permit application to allow crews to construct concrete up to the main concourse of the stadium. That permit is awaiting approval, and records indicate that the work is valued at $87.3 million.

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