A new stadium for Major League Baseball (MLB) team the Athletics is slated to open on the Las Vegas Strip in 2028.
Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in collaboration with HNTB, the covered ballpark will span nine acres on Las Vegas Boulevard and have the capacity to hold 33,000 fan.
The roof will be accentuated by five overlapping shells that resemble baseball pennants. For players, these arched pennants will attenuate direct sunlight glare while welcoming indirect natural light via northern-facing clerestory windows.
The stadium will also feature the world’s largest cable net glass wall, with exterior metal cladding that will shimmer in the natural daylight and reflect the surrounding Strip lights at night.
“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,” says Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director of BIG.
Walkway bridges over Las Vegas and Tropicana Boulevards will direct fans to the ballpark’s main concourse. Secondary north and south entrances will be marked by bouncing arches to increase visitor accessibility and promote a connection to the outdoors. Once inside, visitors are met by a bright, open atria, which will also serve as multipurpose exhibition spaces to showcase international and local artists.
Inspired by historic ballparks, like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, that feature split upper and lower bowls, the new stadium’s layout will bring fans closer to the action than traditional ballparks and provide clear sight lines from every seat. It will also feature an 18,000-square-foot Jumbotron—the largest screen in the MLB. Air-conditioning will distribute at the seats, rather than from above, making cooling more efficient and energy conscious.
The stadium will also double as a venue for concerts, conferences, and other happenings. Future development is expected to join the ballpark, including an onsite hotel and casino.
“Las Vegas is where the imagination runs free, characterized by bespoke, one-of-a-kind experiences,” adds Lanson Nichols, principal-in-charge at HNTB. “The A’s new ballpark will be filled with unique settings for the social interplay between, sport, spectacle, and entertainment.”
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