Las Vegas Is About to Get a New Massive Dome-Like Venue

The Oakland Athletics have been playing baseball in the Bay Area for over 50 years, but that era will soon be coming to an end when the team moves to Las Vegas in 2028. The A's will be following the Raiders, which similarly left Oakland for Sin City in 2020. And just like the Raiders, the A's will get a warm welcome in a brand new, state-of-the-art sports venue.

The Athletics just revealed renderings of what the purported ballpark will look like, drumming up hype for the team's new era in just a few years. It features interlocking dome-like structures, calling to mind the famous Sydney Opera House, and will seemingly have a massive screen on one hanging over the field. The venue is being brought to life in partnership with design company Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and infrastructure firm HNTB.

When speaking about the project, the Athletics' primary owner and managing partner John Fisher expressed excitement about this next chapter. "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," he said in a statement. "We hope to add to the dynamic atmosphere and liveliness of the Las Vegas Strip, creating a welcoming environment for all of Southern Nevada."

BIG founder and creative director Bjarke Ingels went on to explain the vision for the project. "Our design for the new Vegas home for the A’s is conceived in response to the unique culture and climate of the city,'" he said "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."

Ingels went on to liken the final product to an animal locals may sometimes see. "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," he said. "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 forthcoming sports venue will sit adjacent to the Tropicana hotel next to Harry Reid International Airport. The complex is also expected to also include a resort of its own. The new ballpark and move from Oakland to Las Vegas is expected to be completed by the 2028 season, though it remains to be seen if construction and other delays push back that target.