Las Vegas A's Stadium Hits Steel Phase | Ryan Rose

May 8, 2026 · Ryan Rose, Real Broker LLC

The Las Vegas Athletics' $2 billion, 33,000-seat stadium has completed its foundation work and entered the steel erection phase on the South Strip. With $380 million in public funding approved and construction milestones being met on schedule, the project is pushing toward its 2028 opening day.

Photo by Carlos Santiago / Unsplash

If you have driven along the south end of the Las Vegas Strip lately, you have probably noticed the skyline changing. Giant cranes, towering steel columns, and a small army of construction workers are reshaping the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue. That is the future home of the Las Vegas Athletics, and the project just hit a major milestone.

The Athletics announced that foundation work on their new $2 billion stadium is complete. The project has now moved into the steel erection phase, where the skeleton of the 33,000-seat ballpark is rising from the ground. Steel seating girders are already lining large sections of the structure. Framing for the suite level and upper deck is underway. And a massive 1,200-ton crane has been erected inside the stadium footprint to prepare for roof truss installation starting in June.

This is a big deal for Las Vegas, and not just for baseball fans. A project of this size brings construction jobs, future hospitality positions, increased property values in surrounding neighborhoods, and a new anchor for the south end of the Strip. Whether you own a home nearby, are thinking about buying, or simply want to understand how your city is changing, this story matters to you.

Let's walk through what is happening on site, where the money is coming from, and what this means for the Las Vegas Valley going forward.

What Happened

The Athletics organization confirmed in late April 2026 that all foundation and buttress work on the new ballpark is complete. The project has transitioned into what the construction team calls the steel phase, which began on March 4, 2026. This is where the visible shape of the stadium starts to emerge from what had been, for months, a giant concrete pit.

Here is what progress looks like on the ground right now. Steel seating girders have been installed across a large portion of the ballpark, giving the lower bowl its shape. Crews are adding framing for the suite level, which will house premium seating and club spaces. The upper deck framing is also underway. The final concrete decking for the lower concourse has been poured, and interior ceiling painting has already started in the service level below the main concourse.

Six massive buttress support structures are positioned around the perimeter of the stadium. These buttresses will anchor the roof trusses, which are scheduled to begin installation on June 1, 2026. To handle the weight of those trusses, a crane capable of lifting 1,200 tons has been erected inside the stadium. Two additional 600-ton cranes outside the structure will assist with the lift work. Five 200-foot-tall green steel shoring platforms are also being constructed to support the roof trusses during installation.

Photo by Scott Blake / Unsplash

On May 12, 2026, the third-level concrete pour is scheduled to begin. And by June 12, precast concrete seating risers, which have been manufactured and stored offsite in Sloan, will start arriving for installation. Tyler Van Eeckhaut, the project director for the Mortenson-McCarthy joint venture managing construction, said the team continues to hit every deadline. Athletics VP Sandy Badain echoed that, saying the project has met virtually all of its milestones.

The stadium sits on 9 acres of a larger 35-acre site at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard South and Tropicana Avenue. This is the former location of the Tropicana hotel, which was demolished in October 2024 to clear the way for the ballpark and a surrounding entertainment district.

Why It Matters

This stadium is not just about baseball. It is about the ongoing transformation of Las Vegas into a multi-sport destination and the economic ripple effects that come with a project of this scale. Here is why residents and homeowners across the valley should be paying attention.

First, jobs. The construction phase alone is employing hundreds of workers. Once the stadium opens, it will create permanent positions in hospitality, venue operations, food service, security, and event management. For a city where the service and construction industries drive a large share of the local economy, those jobs matter. They support families, and families need homes.

Second, property values. According to UNLV economics professor Nicholas Irwin, property values in the immediate vicinity of the stadium are likely to rise as the project nears completion and begins operating. When a $2 billion development anchors a neighborhood, the land around it becomes more valuable. That is good news for homeowners in the South Strip and surrounding areas who could see appreciation tied directly to this project. However, Irwin also noted that rising values can push some people out of the area, so the impact is not entirely one-sided.

Photo by Sung Jin Cho / Unsplash

Third, the sports corridor. When this stadium opens, it will be the third major professional sports venue within a two-mile radius on the south end of the Strip. Allegiant Stadium (home of the NFL's Raiders) sits just over a mile to the south. T-Mobile Arena (home of the NHL's Golden Knights) is about a mile to the west. That concentration of venues creates a year-round sports and entertainment district that few cities in the country can match. More events mean more visitors, more spending, and more economic activity for local businesses.

Fourth, the surrounding development. Bally's Corporation has announced plans to build a massive integrated resort around the stadium on the remaining 26 acres of the site. The plans include a 3,000-room hotel-casino with two towers, 500,000 square feet of retail and dining, and a 2,500-seat theater for live performances. A 9-acre plaza will connect the resort to the ballpark's main entrances. That level of development does not just change one intersection. It reshapes an entire corridor.

For homeowners across the Las Vegas Valley, even those who live miles from the Strip, these kinds of mega-projects support the broader economy that keeps home values stable. Construction spending, tourism dollars, and job creation all feed into the health of the local housing market.

Background

The story of how the Oakland Athletics ended up building a stadium on the Las Vegas Strip involves years of negotiations, a controversial public funding deal, and one of the biggest franchise relocations in recent sports history.

In June 2023, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo signed Senate Bill 1, which approved up to $380 million in public financing for the stadium. That bill was passed during a special legislative session that lasted just seven days. The public funding comes primarily from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Clark County also contributed $25 million in credits toward infrastructure costs. The A's organization has said it plans to use approximately $350 million of the $380 million authorized.

The remaining cost of the $2 billion project falls on the Fisher family, who owns the Athletics. Their contribution includes a $1.1 billion equity investment and a $300 million construction loan from U.S. Bank and Goldman Sachs. As part of the agreement, the A's are required to contribute $2 million annually to the local community.

Photo by Tim Gouw / Unsplash

The ceremonial groundbreaking took place on June 23, 2025. Construction has been managed by a joint venture between Mortenson Company (based in Minneapolis) and McCarthy Building Companies. Dave Mansell, the general superintendent on the project, is a 37-year Mortenson veteran who has built nearly a dozen sports facilities, including two NFL stadiums and three MLB ballparks. He has said this will be his final project before retirement in 2028.

While the team builds its new home, the Athletics are playing temporary seasons at a Triple-A stadium in West Sacramento, California. The franchise is expected to move to Las Vegas full-time when the ballpark opens before the 2028 season.

The public funding component has been a topic of debate among Nevada residents and policy groups. Critics argue that taxpayer money should not subsidize private sports ventures. Supporters counter that the economic activity generated by the stadium, from construction jobs to long-term tourism, will more than repay the public investment over time. That debate continues, but the construction is well past the point of no return.

What Happens Next

The construction timeline has several key milestones on the horizon. Roof truss installation begins June 1, 2026. That will be one of the most visually dramatic phases of construction, as massive steel trusses are lifted into place between the six buttresses that ring the stadium. Precast seating risers start arriving June 12. Through the summer and fall of 2026, the stadium's shape will become increasingly recognizable from the Strip and surrounding roadways.

The stadium design features a fixed roof inspired by baseball pennants, with a look that has been compared to the Sydney Opera House. One standout feature is what the team describes as the world's largest cable-net window, which will face Las Vegas Boulevard and give fans views of the Strip from inside the ballpark. The venue will include premium club spaces, upscale seating behind home plate, and a Jumbotron. Season tickets are already being sold in an initial wave, with additional offerings rolling out in the coming months.

Beyond the stadium itself, Bally's Corporation chairman Soo Kim has said that development on the surrounding resort and entertainment district will begin in 2026, with some venues open before the first pitch in 2028. That means the area around the stadium will be under active construction for the next two years, creating both disruption and opportunity for the surrounding neighborhoods.

Traffic and infrastructure are key concerns. Clark County Commissioner Jim Gibson has stated that transportation and neighborhood development issues must be resolved alongside construction. The intersection of Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard is already one of the busiest in the valley, and adding a 33,000-seat stadium to the mix will require significant planning around road access, parking, and public transit connections.

For the broader Las Vegas real estate market, the stadium's progress is one of several major development signals. Combined with ongoing resort construction, the expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and population growth driven by out-of-state migration, the valley continues to see the kind of large-scale investment that supports long-term property values. Homeowners and prospective buyers should keep an eye on how these projects progress, because they shape the economic foundation that drives the housing market.

Ryan's Take

I drive past this construction site regularly, and every time I see it, I am reminded of how quickly Las Vegas is evolving. Ten years ago, the idea of a Major League Baseball team on the Strip would have sounded far-fetched. Now it is literally rising from the ground, on schedule, and surrounded by plans for a resort and entertainment complex that will change the entire south end of the Strip.

From a real estate perspective, this is one of those projects that creates momentum. When you put $2 billion into the ground at a specific location, the surrounding area benefits. Property values near Allegiant Stadium have performed well since that venue opened, and I expect a similar pattern around the new ballpark. The South Strip corridor, which has been somewhat overlooked compared to the center Strip and downtown, is about to get a lot more attention from investors and developers.

For homeowners in the broader valley, projects like this support the overall economy that keeps our housing market healthy. Construction jobs, permanent venue positions, and the tourism dollars that flow through a new sports venue all feed into local spending and housing demand. That is a positive signal, even if you live in Summerlin or Henderson and never plan to attend a game.

The $380 million in public funding is a fair concern for taxpayers to watch closely. Accountability matters. But the construction is moving forward, the milestones are being met, and the private investment is substantial. I will keep tracking this project and reporting on what it means for the neighborhoods and markets I serve.

What You Can Do

Here are some practical steps depending on your situation:

If you own property near the South Strip: Pay attention to how the surrounding development progresses. Property values in this corridor are likely to shift as the stadium and Bally's resort take shape. If you have been considering selling in the next few years, the timing of these projects could work in your favor. A conversation about your home's current value and future trajectory is a smart move right now.

If you are thinking about buying near the stadium area: Getting in before the stadium opens could position you well for appreciation. Look at neighborhoods within a few miles of the Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard intersection. Prices may still be accessible now, but that window could narrow as opening day approaches and the entertainment district fills in.

If you are a Las Vegas homeowner anywhere in the valley: Keep these large-scale projects on your radar. They are part of the economic engine that drives demand for housing across the metro area. Understanding the bigger picture helps you make smarter decisions about when to buy, sell, or hold.

If you work in construction or hospitality: This project and the surrounding Bally's development will generate employment opportunities for years. As the valley adds jobs, it adds housing demand. If you are planning to buy a home, getting pre-approved now puts you in a strong position.

Sources

• Athletics' $2B Las Vegas stadium on track for 2028 opening, officials say ‚Äî ESPN, 2026
• A's Las Vegas ballpark construction checking off milestones ‚Äî Las Vegas Review-Journal, April 2026
• A's ballpark seeing progress on steel work on Strip ‚Äî Las Vegas Review-Journal, March 2026
• Housing impact of sports stadiums: How the A's move could affect property values ‚Äî KTNV Channel 13, Las Vegas
• A's offer initial Vegas stadium funding plans ‚Äî The Nevada Independent
• Bally's takes step toward construction on project next to A's Strip stadium ‚Äî Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2026