LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Following the implosion of the historic Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Bally's Corporation and the Oakland A's are now turning their focus on transforming this plot of land.
“This is the end of the beginning, right," said Bally's Corporation Chairman Soo Kim.
During the implosion festivities early Wednesday morning, Oakland A's Owner John Fisher, Kim, and others announced construction on the ballpark could start as early as Spring of 2025.
“It is really a pleasure to be here, it has been a long time and coming," Fisher said.
Kim says we could also expect to see renderings of the new state-of-the-art resort that's expected to be built on the same plot of land as the ballpark shortly after the ballpark construction begins.
Watch the full interview with Soo Kim here:
There are still many questions on how this controversial $1.5 billion stadium will find all of its funds though.
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO and President Steve Hill announced during an LVCVA meeting Tuesday that public tax dollars committed to the project will be protected.
“They’re welcome to move forward and build a stadium that doesn’t involve public funding, but it will ultimately, but in order to allow that to happen, all of the funding has to be basically in a lockbox and available to finish that stadium before the public makes a contribution," Hill said.
The A's will have to set aside the proof that they can pay for the construction before tapping into the $380 million approved by a special session of the Nevada legislature in 2023.
“This is a very iron-clad process where the public is very protected in the public financing of this," Hill said.
The goal is for the ballpark to be complete for the 2028 MLB season to host the first season of the A's in Las Vegas. In the interim, the A's have moved out of the Oakland Coliseum and are expected to play a three-year stint in Sacramento.
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Kim hopes to have a portion of the new stadium-connected resort also ready to go by 2028.
“What part are we going to build along with the A’s to open them on Phase 1, is what we are working on now," Kim said.
He says they'll take their ideas to the county in the coming months.
“We have a plan that goes all the way up to 3,000 rooms," Kim said.
Kim also told Channel 13 Wednesday morning there are several plans in play, at least one of them having the sports theme, being named as of now "Bally's World of Sports," set up to attract the people going to this new ballpark.
