Temporary plaza at Athletics ballpark weighed as funding remains uncertain

The Las Vegas Stadium Authority held a meeting Wednesday to discuss ongoing funding uncertainty for a key plaza structure at the site of the planned $2.1 billion Athletics ballpark on the south Strip. Bally's Corp., which leases the land from Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. (GLPI), is still trying to secure financing for a multilevel podium featuring a parking garage topped by retail, dining, and entertainment spaces, a project estimated to cost over $200 million.

GLPI has offered to fund the podium and a shared access way, with an estimated cost between $200 million and $250 million, but that offer is conditional. 'Our funding agreement is conditioned on a couple of business items being settled between Bally’s and the A’s,' said GLPI President and COO Brandon Moore during the meeting. All parties agreed the stadium authority board meeting was not the appropriate place to negotiate these outstanding issues.

Bally's senior vice president Nick Tomasino stated the company has selected a general contractor and secured some permits, ready to proceed once GLPI funding is confirmed. With the ballpark slated to open in 2028, the authority is now weighing alternative plans, including a temporary plaza, to ensure a 'first-class' fan experience is ready alongside the stadium itself.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal