Construction of the Athletics' $2 billion Las Vegas ballpark is still on track to be completed for the 2028 season, representatives from the A's and its partner, Bally's Corp., confirmed to the Las Vegas Stadium Authority on Thursday. 

"There have been some challenges going out of the gate," Nick Tomasino, senior vice president of development with Bally's Corp., said at the board meeting. "However, we are very happy to say that we are close to being able to secure the financing."

It comes after Bally's introduced revised plans for its entertainment district on the 35-acre site earlier this week and questions about the corporation's finances have been raised. On Wednesday, company representatives presented a plan to the Clark County Commission divided into three development phases. The first phase will include construction of A's $2 billion ballpark, a 1,500-space parking garage and a central utility plant. Phase 2 now includes an elevated entrance, or podium, with a three-level parking garage underneath a plaza with retail, entertainment and dining facilities. A later phase deals with the construction of the casino resort and additional parking.

Tomasino said during Thursday's Stadium Authority meeting that they will turn to the rest of the master plan toward the end of the year. That includes the creation of an entertainment district, a casino and the hotel.

At the county commission meeting, Bally's received initial entitlements for the retail and entertainment district, along with a theater component, "clearing the way for groundbreaking later this year as the first phase of the world-class entertainment destination," said a Bally's spokesperson. 

Jennifer Cooper, spokesperson for Clark County, said commissioners approved a portion of Bally's plans, including the parking garage and podium development, "to ensure there is a safe way to get from the public sidewalks and pedestrian bridges into the stadium."

The hotel towers associated with Bally's application have not received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration and were not considered for approval, she added. 

Bally's will also still pay for the elevated northwest plaza area, which is designed to serve as the primary entrance into the ballpark from the corner of the Strip and Tropicana Avenue. The plaza is a central feature for the entertainment district.

"Bally's indicated to us that their financing is coming together, and they are going to proceed with the northwest plaza as it was contemplated and designed," A's Vice Chairman Sandy Dean said during the meeting. 

The A's are responsible for delivering the ballpark for the start of the Major League Baseball season in April 2028. A's representatives previously have said the stadium is on schedule, but concerns grew after the prior Stadium Authority meeting because Bally's Corp. at that time hadn't yet raised financing for part of the project. 

During a media tour of the ballpark construction site in June, the A's highlighted the first of five large roof truss arches that will support the ceiling, views from behind the future home plate area and said the main concourse had been developed into a complete circle around the site. 

Stadium is still $2 billion 

A's owner John Fisher committed to financing the bulk of the project, which was initially $1.75 billion but rose to $2 billion in 2025. U.S. Bank and Goldman Sachs are loaning the team $300 million for the stadium's construction. 

The team has yet to draw on a planned $350 million of the $380 million in public financing provided through the passage of SB1 by the Legislature in 2023.  

Last month, the A's sold minority stakes in the team to two groups. Harbinger Sports Partners, an investment fund that includes Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban, purchased an undisclosed stake and did not reveal the cost. A few days later, a South Korean investment firm led by former Major League Baseball pitcher Chan Ho Park invested $70 million into the team but didn't disclose any ownership percentage.

Earlier this summer, the A's applied for building permits with Clark County for a 2,500-space parking garage on the southeast side of the development. The A's will pay costs for the initial 1,500 spaces with Bally's expected to finish the facility.

Similarly, the A's will cover costs for the team's portion of the central utility plant that will power the air conditioning, electricity and other aspects of the stadium. Executives said during the meeting that this is on track.

"Working with Bally's we figured out that we could build phase one of the utility plant on the east side of the garage," Dean previously told the Indy. He added the A's financial contribution to the plant is smaller than the Bally's portion.

Real estate investment trust could help

One financial resource Bally's could tap into is the $125 million left over from the $175 million land owner Gaming and Leisure Properties committed to help fund the October 2024 implosion of the Tropicana to clear the 35-acre site.

On the real estate investment trust's July 31 quarterly conference call, company President Brandon Moore said of Bally's project, "There may be an opportunity for us to invest more in that property and some of that key critical infrastructure. We'll take a look at that when that time comes." 

Moore added that Bally's was "coming close" to a plan for some of the infrastructure to support the stadium, including "the podium, utility, conduits, things like that." He called the stadium "a spectacular event venue that will drive a lot of value to the site." 

While the A's sole focus has been the stadium, Bally's corporate focus has been on other casino projects around the county, primarily a $1.7 billion hotel-casino in Chicago that has been delayed several times but is now expected to open in 2027.

"We certainly have not lost sight of Las Vegas," Tomasino said. 

Bally's last week halted construction on the non-gaming portions of the Chicago resort because the Chicago City Council is attempting to legalize slot machine route operations in bars, taverns and convenience stores within the city. 

In a statement, Bally's said, "The potential for an uncontrolled proliferation of video gambling terminals is in breach of the city's commitment not to expand gaming."