Las Vegas Ballpark

{{Short description|Baseball stadium in Summerlin, Nevada}}

{{Distinguish|text=New Las Vegas Stadium, the proposed future home of the Las Vegas Athletics}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = Las Vegas Ballpark

| logo_image = Las_Vegas_Ballpark.png

| image = 305px

| address = 1650 South Pavilion Center Drive

| location = Summerlin South, Nevada
United States

| coordinates = {{Coord|36|09|08.2|N|115|19|45.9|W|type:landmark|display=it}}

| broke_ground = {{Start date|2018|2|23}}

| opened = {{Start date|2019|4|06}}

| publictransit = {{rint|bus}} RTC Transit Downtown Summerlin Transit Facility

| owner = Seaport Entertainment Group

| operator = Las Vegas Aviators

| surface = Bandera Bermuda Grass

| construction_cost = US$150 million{{cite web |title=Attention to Detail Matters at Las Vegas Ballpark|url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2019/05/16/attention-to-detail-matters-at-las-vegas-ballpark/|website=Ballpark Digest|date=May 16, 2019|accessdate=May 16, 2019}}
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|150000000|2019}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US}}

| homepage = {{URL|https://www.thelvballpark.com/}}

| architect = HOK{{cite news |title=Las Vegas 51s Moving to $150M Summerlin Stadium in 2019|first1=Richard N.|last1=Velotta|first2=Betsy|last2=Helfand|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/las-vegas-51s-moving-to-150m-summerlin-stadium-in-2019/|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=October 10, 2017|accessdate=October 10, 2017}}

| structural engineer = Thornton Tomasetti{{cite web |title=Christina McCoy, P.E., S.E., LEED BDC, RA|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinamccoy/|website=Linkedin|accessdate=May 15, 2019}}

| services engineer = M–E Engineers, Inc.{{cite web |title=ME Engineers|url=https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6524331791099269120|website=Linkedin|date=April 23, 2019|accessdate=May 15, 2019}}

| general_contractor = Hunt/PENTA{{cite web |title=Exclusive: 51s Owner Howard Hughes Corp. Hires PENTA to Build Summerlin Ballpark|first=Alan|last=Snel|url=https://lvsportsbiz.com/2017/08/29/exclusive-51s-owner-howard-hughes-corp-hires-penta-build-summerlin-ballpark/|work=LV Sports Biz|date=August 29, 2017|accessdate=November 4, 2017}}

| tenants = Las Vegas Aviators (PCL/AAAW) 2019–present

| seating_capacity = 8,196, 10,000 standing

| record_attendance = 12,111 (May 14, 2019) Las Vegas Aviators vs. Tacoma Rainiers{{cite web |last=Jacob|first=Matt|title=Aviators Blow Big Early Lead, Fall 9-7 to Rainiers|url=https://www.milb.com/las-vegas/news/aviators-blow-big-early-lead-fall-9-7-to-rainiers/c-307141918|website=Las Vegas Aviators|publisher=Minor League Baseball|date=May 14, 2019|accessdate=May 16, 2019}}

| dimensions = Left field: {{convert|340|ft|abbr=on}}
Left-center field: {{convert|380|ft|abbr=on}}
Center field: {{convert|415|ft|abbr=on}}
Right-center field: {{convert|380|ft|abbr=on}}
Right field: {{convert|340|ft|abbr=on}}

| acreage = {{Convert|7.65|acre}}{{cite news |title=Howard Hughes Corp. to Unveil Las Vegas Ballpark|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/homes/advertising-features/howard-hughes-corp-to-unveil-las-vegas-ballpark-1634504/|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=April 6, 2019|accessdate=April 15, 2019|language=en-US}}

}}

Las Vegas Ballpark is a baseball stadium in Summerlin South, Nevada, United States. It is the home field for the Las Vegas Aviators of the Pacific Coast League, who are currently affiliated with the Athletics. The stadium, along with its primary tenant, is owned by Seaport Entertainment Group.{{cite news |title=Why a Dallas Firm with a Famous Name Cares if Las Vegas Keeps its Pro Baseball Team|first=Paul|last=O'Donnell|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/sports-business/2017/10/11/dallas-firm-famous-name-cares-las-vegas-keeps-pro-baseball-team|newspaper=The Dallas Morning News|date=October 11, 2017|accessdate=October 11, 2017}} Las Vegas Ballpark is located in Downtown Summerlin near the intersection of South Pavilion Center Drive and Summerlin Center Drive next to City National Arena and across the street from the Downtown Summerlin shopping center. Construction of the $150 million stadium began in 2018 and was completed in time for the Aviators' 2019 season. It replaced the team's previous home at Cashman Field, where the Aviators had resided since 1983 as the Stars and 51s, respectively.

History

=Background=

The decision to build a new stadium for the team, then known as the 51s, came on the back of many issues both the 51s and Minor League Baseball had with the team's previous stadium, Cashman Field. Considered state-of-the-art when it opened in 1983, it had fallen far behind the times. Players and staff criticized the facility noting poor conditions in the playing surface, bullpens, and clubhouse. The weight room was smaller when compared to other Triple-A stadiums, with infielder Ty Kelly calling it "basically just a room... not an actual weight room". The batting cage was also a point of concern for the players; it was a single lane and only accessible by walking out of the clubhouse to the parking lot. Johnny Monell described the cage as making him feel like he was "back in high school again," not one level below the major leagues.{{cite news |title=It's Not Hard to Find Why 51s Want Out of Cashman Field|first=Betsy|last=Hefland|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/baseball/51s/it-s-not-hard-find-why-51s-want-out-cashman-field|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=September 3, 2016|accessdate=December 20, 2016}} During a 51s game on August 22, 2015, the stadium sewage system backed up, causing raw sewage to flow into the dugouts. The smell was so strong that players were forced to watch the rest of the game from chairs on the field. Team president and chief operating officer Don Logan said, "It's disappointing that Vegas has the worst facility in our league when we have such a great town with the greatest hotels, the greatest dining, the greatest shopping. It's not becoming of this community to have a place like this."

Pacific Coast League commissioner Branch Barrett Rickey expressed his concerns about the feasibility of the continuous usage of Cashman Field as a Triple-A ballpark. In a letter to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority which owned and operated the facility, he wrote that Cashman Field had long since reached the end of its useful life, and a number of MLB teams had opted to place their Triple-A teams "in far less appropriate markets" than Las Vegas. He added that Cashman Field needed "many tens of millions of dollars" to keep it at something approaching Triple-A standards, and even those would not have been enough to make it "an optimal long-term solution" as a Triple-A venue.{{cite news |title=PCL President Admonishes LVCVA Over Crumbling Cashman Field|first=Ron|last=Kantowski|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/columns-blogs/ron-kantowski/pcl-president-admonishes-lvcva-over-crumbling-cashman-field|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=January 21, 2016|accessdate=December 20, 2016}} For much of the time since the San Diego Padres ended their 18-year affiliation with what was then known as the Las Vegas Stars in 2000, Las Vegas had been considered an affiliate of last resort for most MLB teams, something Las Vegas Ballpark sought to fix.

=Potential MLB Use=

{{Main|Oakland Athletics relocation to Las Vegas}}

Although built for Triple-A baseball, the stadium was designed in such a manner as to be usable on a temporary basis for Major League Baseball. In 2023, the Oakland Athletics' relocation to Las Vegas was unanimously approved by MLB owners.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/where-will-as-play-before-las-vegas-move-five-options-as-team-plans-revolving-group-of-home-stadiums/|title=Where will A's play before Las Vegas move? Five options as team plans 'revolving group' of home stadiums|date=16 November 2023 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/athletics/column/as-temporary-home-option|title=A's Temporary Home Option?|date=14 November 2023 }} The Athletics could have played at Las Vegas Ballpark until the new 33,000-seat ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip is completed,{{Cite web |last=Schlossberg |first=Dan |title=Lame-Duck Athletics Seek Place To Play Before Vegas Ballpark Is Ready |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschlossberg/2024/01/16/lame-duck-athletics-seek-place-to-play-before-vegas-ballpark-is-ready/ |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=Forbes |language=en}} however they ultimately chose to play at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California instead.{{Cite web |last=Joseph |first=Jill Martin, Samuel |date=2024-04-05 |title=Oakland A’s to play in West Sacramento for 3 seasons. It’s 86 miles away from the Coliseum, but still much closer than Vegas |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/05/sport/oakland-athletics-west-sacramento-mlb-spt-intl/index.html |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=CNN |language=en}} The summer heat in an open air stadium, losing television rights to the San Francisco Bay Area, and wanting to make a bigger introduction into the Southern Nevada market were mentioned by Athletics president Dave Kaval as reasons to not select Las Vegas Ballpark as a temporary home. There may be some regular season Athletics games which are played in Las Vegas, depending on scheduling and weather.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-04 |title=A’s land temporary home ballpark before Vegas move |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/athletics/as-land-temporary-home-ballpark-before-vegas-move-3028548/ |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=Las Vegas Review-Journal |language=en-US}}

=Approval and groundbreaking=

In April 2013, the team was purchased by Summerlin Las Vegas Baseball Club LLC, a joint venture of Howard Hughes Corp. and Play Ball Owners Group, including investors Steve Mack, Bart Wear and Chris Kaempfer, with intentions of moving it to a new stadium in Summerlin. In October 2017, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority approved a 20-year, $80 million naming rights agreement to help pay for the 10,000-seat ballpark.

The official groundbreaking was held on February 13, 2018.{{cite news |title=Construction Starts on Minor League Ballpark in Downtown Summerlin|first=Jesse|last=Granger|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2018/feb/23/construction-starts-on-minor-league-ballpark-in-do/|newspaper=Las Vegas Sun|date=February 23, 2018|accessdate=February 26, 2018|language=en}} By April 2018, excavation was 85 percent complete with nearby grading for parking lots about 90 percent complete.{{cite news |title=Construction 'Rolling' on Las Vegas 51s New Ballpark in Summerlin|first=Betsy|last=Helfand|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/51sbaseball/construction-rolling-on-las-vegas-51s-new-ballpark-in-summerlin/|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=April 15, 2018|accessdate=September 20, 2018}} By June 2018, it was on schedule to be completed before the 2019 season.{{cite news |title=Here's How You Can Watch Construction of Las Vegas Ballpark|first=Joyce|last=Lupiani|url=https://www.ktnv.com/news/heres-how-you-can-watch-construction-of-las-vegas-ballpark|work=KTNV|location=Las Vegas|date=June 11, 2018|accessdate=September 13, 2018}}

=Opening=

Reservations for tickets began in July 2018.{{cite news |title=51s Aim to Make New Ballpark, Tickets Affordable for Families|first1=Bryce|last1=Riley|first2=Kel|last2=Dansby|url=https://www.ktnv.com/sports/deposits-for-season-tickets-at-new-las-vegas-ballpark-begin-on-monday|work=KTNV|location=Las Vegas|date=July 5, 2018|accessdate=September 13, 2018}}{{cite news |title=Season Ticket Deposits for Las Vegas Ballpark Begin Monday|first=Justin|last=Emerson|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/51sbaseball/season-ticket-deposits-for-las-vegas-ballpark-begin-monday/|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=July 5, 2018|accessdate=September 13, 2018}} The schedule was announced in August 2018, with the home opener on April 9, 2019.{{cite news |title=51s Announce 2019 Home Schedule in New Las Vegas Ballpark|first=Ben|last=Gotz|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/51sbaseball/51s-announce-2019-home-schedule-in-new-las-vegas-ballpark/|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=August 2, 2018|accessdate=September 13, 2018}} On April 6, the stadium had a soft opening hosting a NIAA Sunset 4A Region high school baseball game between Palo Verde High School and Centennial.{{cite news |title=Las Vegas Ballpark to Host Class 4A Baseball Tourney|first=Bartt|last=Davis|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/aviatorsbaseball/las-vegas-ballpark-to-host-class-4a-baseball-tourney-1661923/|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=May 12, 2019|accessdate=May 15, 2019}} The Aviators formally opened the ballpark with a 10–2 win against the Sacramento River Cats on April 9 before a sellout crowd of 11,036.{{cite news |title=1st Game at New Las Vegas Ballpark Set for April 9|first=Jesse|last=Granger|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2018/aug/02/1st-game-at-new-las-vegas-ballpark-set-for-april-9/|newspaper=Las Vegas Sun|date=August 2, 2018|accessdate=September 13, 2018}}{{cite web |title=River Cats vs. Aviators Box Score - 04/09/19|url=https://www.milb.com/gameday/river-cats-vs-aviators/2019/04/09/579627#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=box,game=579627|publisher=Minor League Baseball|date=April 9, 2019|accessdate=April 10, 2019}} Las Vegas secured the win with a five-run second inning in which Skye Bolt scored the eventual winning run when he came home on a fielding error. Aviators pitchers Chris Bassitt and Daniel Mengden combined to strikeout 14 Sacramento batters. The first home run in ballpark history was hit by Zach Green of the Sacramento River Cats on April 11 in the top of the eighth inning. In the same game, Sean Murphy hit the first Aviators' home run in ballpark history in the bottom of the eighth inning.{{cite web |title=Aviators Sweep River Cats and Win Again 11-3|first=Scott|last=Gulbransen|url=https://thehangarlv.com/2019/04/aviators-sweep-river-cats-and-win-again-11-3|work=The Hangar LV|date=April 11, 2019|accessdate=May 15, 2019}}

Amenities and layout

Las Vegas Ballpark includes 22 suites, 400 club-level seats and 350 party deck seats, a center field pool, kids' zone, and several bars.{{cite web |title=Report: 51s to Move Into New Ballpark in 2019|first=Alex|last=Kraft|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/triple-a-las-vegas-51s-to-change-ballpark-affiliation-in-2019/c-258173796|publisher=Minor League Baseball|date=October 10, 2017|accessdate=October 10, 2017}} The ballpark features about 8,200 breathable mesh seats manufactured by 4Topps Premium Seating, in order to account for the extreme heat often encountered during the summer months. It is the first stadium in sports history with all seats made from breathable mesh. The frames of these seats contain fiberglass, which has since delaminated causing skin irritation to some spectators.{{Cite web|title=Fans 'Eaten Alive By The Seats' At Las Vegas Aviators Home Opener Game|url=https://www.iheart.com/content/2021-05-10-fans-eaten-alive-by-the-seats-at-las-vegas-aviators-home-opener-game/|access-date=August 23, 2021|website=iHeartRadio|language=en}} The ballpark's total seating capacity is 8,196, and it can accommodate 10,000 total fans.{{cite news |title=Las Vegas Ballpark to Get Comfy Mesh Seats for Fans|first=Nikki|last=Bowers|url=https://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/local-news/las-vegas-ballpark-to-get-comfy-mesh-seats-for-fans/1407641245|work=Las Vegas Now|date=August 30, 2018|accessdate=September 20, 2018}} There is a concourse that wraps around the playing field. The field is recessed below the street-level concourse so it can be viewed from the entrances and seats.

Las Vegas Ballpark has the largest video board in minor league baseball at {{convert|3,930|sqft}}. The Daktronics video board is {{convert|31|feet}} high by {{convert|126|feet}} wide and features a 13 HD pixel layout. There are LED ribbon boards installed on the facings of each side of the upper deck; these are used to display the inning, score, count, and advertisements. The stadium also has indoor batting cages, a weight room and a rehabilitation center. The bullpen for each team is in right field. The park dimensions are {{convert|340|feet}} to right and left field, and {{convert|380|feet}} to left-center and {{convert|415|feet}} to center. The home run wall, with the exception of left field where the wall is {{convert|14|feet}} high, is {{convert|10|feet}} high.{{cite news |title=Dig Into the Las Vegas Aviators' Shiny New Downtown Summerlin Ballpark|first=Ray|last=Brewer|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2019/apr/03/dig-into-the-aviators-shiny-new-downtown-summerlin/|newspaper=Las Vegas Sun|date=April 3, 2019|accessdate=April 6, 2019}}

See also

References

{{reflist|30em}}