Shaped by its location on the Las Vegas Strip, the new Athletics Las Vegas Ballpark – designed by BIG | Bjarke Ingels Group and HNTB – will echo the vibrancy of the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World,’ exuding an outdoor feel with panoramic views of the city’s skyline.
The 33,000-capacity covered ballpark will sit on nine acres on Las Vegas Boulevard between Tropicana Avenue and Reno Avenue. Designed by BIG in collaboration with HNTB, the new home for the Athletics has an expected opening date of spring 2028. The project builds on a longstanding collaboration between BIG and the Athletics, dating back to a different ballpark design presented in Oakland, California in 2018. Image by Negativ
The new ballpark’s roof is accentuated by five overlapping shells resembling baseball pennants, paying homage to the sport. For players, these arched “pennants” will attenuate direct sunlight glare while welcoming indirect natural light through northern oriented clerestory windows. The domed ballpark is also designed to feature the world’s largest cable net glass wall. The structure’s exterior metal cladding shimmers in the natural daylight and reflects the surrounding Las Vegas lights at night.
"BIG's revolutionary design, created in collaboration with HNTB, represents a captivating ballpark concept, seamlessly blending innovation and technology with an enhanced fan experience. We are very excited to share the work of our design team with the entire Southern Nevada community." - John Fisher, Managing Partner & Owner, Athletics
Image by Negativ
“Our design for the new Vegas home for the A’s is conceived in response to the unique culture and climate of the city. 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.
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. 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.” - Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Creative Director, BIG
An elevated outdoor plaza connects to the bridges over Las Vegas and Tropicana Boulevards, directing fans to the ballpark’s main concourse, where a large glass atrium pulls the city into the venue. This entrance sequence will immediately orient fans in the ballpark, allowing views of the entire field and seating bowl upon entry while optimizing wayfinding and circulation.
Secondary north and south entrances are marked by “bouncing” arches to increase visitor accessibility and promote a connection to the outdoors. Once inside, fans are met with bright, open atria, which will also serve as multipurpose exhibition spaces to showcase international and local artists.
The Athletics Ballpark is an immersive fan experience. Its tiered design and intimacy, inspired by historic ballparks like Fenway and Wrigley - with split upper and lower bowls - bring fans closer to the action than traditional ballparks and provide clear sight lines from every seat. The ballpark is currently designed to feature an 18,000-square-foot jumbotron, which would make it the largest screen in Major League Baseball. An air-conditioning system distributes at the seats rather than from above, making cooling more efficient and energy conscious.
"Our new A’s Ballpark in Las Vegas is designed to celebrate baseball and become a destination for fans from all over the world. The ballpark will be a climate-controlled, state-of-the-art facility that will house a variety of events and guest experiences. By opening up the roof structure, we’re capturing the energy of the iconic Las Vegas Strip and creating a unique synergy between its events and the surrounding city. We believe the new Vegas ballpark will push the boundaries for enjoying baseball and contribute to a more interactive and spectacular urban experience in Las Vegas." - Daniel Sundlin, Partner, BIG Image by Negativ
“Las Vegas is where the imagination runs free, characterized by bespoke, one-of-a-kind experiences. The A's new ballpark will be filled with unique settings for the social interplay between, sport, spectacle and entertainment.” - Lanson Nichols, Principal-in-Charge, HNTB
The Athletics Ballpark will have the potential to double as a venue for hosting concerts, conferences and other events. Future development is expected to surround the ballpark, including an onsite hotel and casino.
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Press release and images courtesy of BIG | Bjarke Ingels Group
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