A’s Unveil Renderings for Ballpark in Las Vegas; Hire BIG, HNTB for Design
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Athletics, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), and HNTB have unveiled the design for the A’s new ballpark project in Las Vegas on the Tropicana site. BIG will serve as the design lead and HNTB as the sports/hospitality designer and architect of record.
"The collaboration between BIG’s creativity and HNTB’s technical expertise allows for a truly innovative and bold design while ensuring an unmatched fan experience,” said Athletics Managing Partner and Owner John Fisher. “We hope to add to the dynamic atmosphere and liveliness of the Las Vegas Strip, creating a welcoming environment for all of Southern Nevada.”
Shaped by its location on the Las Vegas Strip, the 33,000-person capacity ballpark provides an outdoor feel with views of the city’s skyline. The tiered design will split upper and lower seating bowls to bring fans closer to the action than traditional ballparks and provide clear sight lines from every seat. The roof's five overlapping layers, whose design is inspired by traditional baseball pennants, open to the north to allow for natural light and views up the Strip, while also limiting direct sunlight and heat from the south. The outfield features the world’s largest cable-net glass window, facing the corner of Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevards. The ballpark is currently designed to include an 18,000-square-foot jumbotron, which would make it the largest screen in MLB.
“Our design for the new Vegas home for the A’s is conceived in response to the unique culture and climate of the city,’” said Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Creative Director of BIG. “Five pennant arches enclose the ballpark - shading from the Nevada sun while opening to the soft daylight from the north. A giant window frames a majestic view of the life of the Strip and the iconic New York New York hotel skyline. All direct sunlight is blocked, while all the soft daylight is allowed to wash the field in natural light.
“The resultant architecture is like a spherical armadillo - shaped by the local climate - while opening and inviting the life of the Strip to enter and explore. In the city of spectacle, the A’s ‘armadillo’ is designed for passive shading and natural light - the architectural response to the Nevada climate generating a new kind of vernacular icon in Vegas.”
The ballpark will occupy nine acres of the 35-acre Tropicana site. Bally’s and GLPI are working on a master plan for a related resort development. The specifics of that process, including towers, locations, and phases will be determined in the coming months.
“We are excited to continue to collaborate with Bally’s and GLPI on this project. Together, we see a unique opportunity for this site and look forward to seeing this vision come to life,” said Fisher.
“The A's have created a remarkable design that adds to the rich fabric of must-see attractions in Las Vegas,” said Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim. “This is a once-in-a-generation project, and we are thrilled for the opportunity to develop a comprehensive site plan at this iconic location. We look forward to sharing more on our plan in due course.”
The ballpark plan supports up to 2,500 on-site parking spots, as well as a two- to three-acre plaza that starts in the northwest corner of the site and extends to the ballpark’s main concourse. The overall parking plan will be determined in partnership with Bally’s and GLPI. The A’s are also working with Clark County and NDOT on traffic and transportation plans to ensure easy access to the stadium and will work with the Regional Transportation Commission on additional services such as the express bus service currently provided for T-Mobile Arena and Allegiant Stadium. Not only will this ease congestion, but it will reduce emissions.
BIG will lead the master planning of the ballpark design, with HNTB collaborating on the design and serving as the architect of record. BIG previously presented a design for the team's Oakland ballpark, while HNTB was the architect for the Raiders' Allegiant Stadium.
The A’s will continue to collaborate with local partners and navigate approval processes, making refinements to the ballpark design over the next year. The ballpark is set to open for the 2028 season.
Fans can now sign up to be first in line to get information on ticket products, news, and more by signing up at athletics.com/vegas.