If Major League Baseball approves the Athletics’ request to relocate to Las Vegas, the franchise will be in limbo for a few years.
The A’s lease at the Oakland Coliseum expires after the 2024 MLB season, and their proposed 33,000-seat Las Vegas ballpark currently is projected to open in 2028.
So, where would they play in the interim?
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Team president Dave Kaval revealed to The Nevada Independent the A’s three most likely options are to return to the Coliseum, share a ballpark in Summerlin with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators, or head across the Bay Bridge and play at Oracle Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants since 2000.
“We don’t have an answer yet,” Kaval told The Nevada Independent. “That’s something that Major League Baseball will ultimately decide.”
The A’s playing at Oracle Park certainly would have its challenges. It would make scheduling extremely difficult, as the Giants host 81 games there every summer.
If the team opts to head to Southern Nevada early and play at the 10,000-seat Las Vegas Ballpark for a few years, Aviators president Don Logan suggested the field would switch from natural grass to artificial turf. It's one of the better minor league ballparks, but still a far cry from being considered an MLB facility.
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Oakland mayor Sheng Thao recently laid out demands she’ll have in store if the A’s ask to extend their Coliseum lease, including keeping the A’s name in Oakland or making sure the city lands an MLB expansion team.
None of those three options appear perfect, but the A's will have to figure something out if they go ahead with their move to Las Vegas.