By Mauricio Segura June 18, 2025
Photo: Webador Stock
The Oakland A’s ambitious move to Las Vegas hit a major snag, money. While team owner John Fisher has already pledged a hefty $1 billion of his own to the new ballpark, he still faces a significant shortfall. Even the idea of selling his Major League Soccer franchise, the San Jose Earthquakes, won’t entirely close the gap.
Fisher, who also controls the Earthquakes and led the franchise to build PayPal Park in Silicon Valley, now has that team up for sale. Industry estimates value the Earthquakes at around $600 million, no small chunk of change. But with the Vegas stadium projected to cost between $1.7 and $1.75 billion, even this infusion of cash won’t tip the scales.
Fisher’s financial plan for the Las Vegas Stadium Authority includes not only his personal investment but also about $380 million in public funding from Clark County. Teams like Galatioto Sports Partners are also being tapped to bring in roughly $500 million more in private investment. Yet even after factoring in those contributions, the project still faces a gap of approximately $300 million.
To help close that gap, Fisher has hired the investment bank Moelis & Co. to facilitate the Earthquakes’ sale. It’s a move that makes sense on paper: monetizing his soccer franchise to bankroll his baseball dream. But even if the sale goes through at top market value, it won’t be a magic bullet for the Vegas stadium.
Meanwhile, the ceremonial groundbreaking for the new ballpark, set for the site of the old Tropicana hotel, is scheduled for June 23. But don’t mistake that event for full steam ahead, actual construction is on pause until the finances are nailed down. Steel won’t rise until money talks.
Sacramento, where the A’s are currently biding their time playing at Sutter Health Park, was once floated as a potential longer-term option if Vegas fell through. But dwindling attendance and minimal buzz have led Clark County officials to push back on that narrative, reiterating that Vegas is still the only viable destination.
At the heart of this complicated shuffle is the stadium’s swelling budget. What started as a $1.5 billion plan has quietly crept upward, thanks to construction inflation and the inevitable complexities of building a new ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip. Fisher’s willingness to part with the Earthquakes underscores just how urgent the situation has become.
So here’s the scoreboard: the A’s are committed to Vegas, with MLB’s blessing and a timeline that’s officially ticking. But unless new funding materializes, either from the Earthquakes’ sale, outside investors, or an unexpected financial backer, the dream remains on shaky ground.
The coming months will be telling. A smooth sale could nudge the project forward. But any delays or dips in value could stretch the timeline, or worse, leave the A’s with a partially funded stadium and nowhere permanent to call home. For now, the franchise’s future is as hazy as the desert air.
