On Thursday, the Oakland Athletics revealed plans to play their home games in Sacramento at Sutter Health Park from 2025 to 2027, preceding their scheduled relocation to Las Vegas in 2028.
This decision marks the conclusion of the team’s 57-year tenure at the Oakland Coliseum, dating back to the move of the Kansas City Athletics in 1968, two years after the stadium’s inauguration.
Situated in West Sacramento, just across the Tower Bridge west of the State Capitol, Sutter Health Park serves as the designated venue for the Athletics’ temporary home games.
The joint announcement was made alongside the Sacramento Kings, majority owners of the Sacramento River Cats, who currently occupy Sutter Health Park. A press conference held at the ballpark by Athletics owner Fisher officially confirmed the move.
Acknowledging the efforts of Kings co-owner and chairman Vivek Ranadivé, Fisher expressed anticipation for the team’s transition to the more intimate setting of Sutter Health Park.
Recently, A’s executives inspected the ballpark after negotiations for a lease extension with the City of Oakland reached an impasse, marking the second such visit this year.
While the Athletics drew a meager 6,436 attendees for their final home game at the Coliseum, concerns loom regarding the impact of their move on the River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.
With the Athletics’ current lease at the Oakland Coliseum set to expire after this season, failed negotiations prompted consideration of alternative locations, including Salt Lake City.
Oakland’s proposed five-year, $97 million extension plan hinged on MLB’s commitment to awarding the city an expansion team, along with additional conditions requiring the A’s to bear field conversion costs and divest its stake in the Coliseum to a local developer.
Amidst preparations for a new stadium in Las Vegas, scheduled for completion in 2028, the Athletics require an interim venue. The closure of the Tropicana Las Vegas hotel and casino, slated for demolition in October, signals the site’s transformation into the future stadium location.
Approval from MLB owners in November cemented support for the Athletics’ planned relocation to Las Vegas.
