Signs of the times: A’s, Neon Museum plot partnership

Signage from the Tropicana could remain on-site following demolition of the Rat Pack-era hotel at the Oakland Athletics’ planned Las Vegas ballpark, with the help of the Neon Museum.

The A’s are in talks to include some of the Neon Museum’s vintage Las Vegas resort signs housed at its downtown Las Vegas location in and around its Strip stadium, scheduled to be built on 9 acres of the 35-acre Trop site.

“We’ve been having conversations with the Neon Museum here, which is a fantastic place … about being able to borrow some of their signs to be used inside the stadium and out,” John Fisher told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Friday. “We’re really looking forward to what that’s going to do to make people, when they’re inside the stadium, (feel) that they’re very much connected to Vegas.”

Aside from some signs already located at the Neon Museum on Las Vegas Boulevard next to Cashman Field, the museum also could save and restore signage from the Tropicana to include the history of the decades-old hotel-casino within the A’s ballpark.

The museum confirmed it is working with the A’s on a potential partnership but noted nothing has been finalized.

“The Neon Museum is excited about the possibility of partnering with the A’s and showcasing some of the stories of Las Vegas through our sign and archival collections, although there are no confirmed plans on what signs could be included in the new stadium complex design,” the museum said in a statement provided to the Review-Journal. “Such a partnership would allow the history of the city be shared and enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.”

Tropicana owner Bally’s Corp. plans to shutter the resort on April 2 to begin demolition preparation. Plans call for that process to take between nine months to a year, to have the site ready for the A’s to begin construction in April 2025. The goal would be to have the ballpark ready for the 2028 MLB season.

On top of the Vegas signage, Fisher also confirmed pieces of his family’s art collection are also planned to be displayed throughout the ballpark. The family has a vast collection of art, with some of it on display at the San Francisco Modern Museum of Art. The Doris and Donald Fisher Collection at SFMOMA, which the museum coins as “among the world’s greatest private collections of contemporary art” features works from such artists as Andy Warhol, Agnes Martin, Alexander Calder and Sol LeWitt.

“Additionally, we’re looking to bring significant amounts of art to the stadium, both inside and out,” Fisher said. “Partially from my parent’s collection, but we’re also working very closely with the local community. There’s a lot of great local artists in Las Vegas and we really think that’s something we can bring a lot of attention to.”

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