The Oakland Athletics announced Thursday that they will move to West Sacramento, Calif., for the next three years before their permanent relocation to Las Vegas in 2028. The A’s will play their 2025- 2027 campaigns at Sutter Health Park, sharing a home with the Sacramento River Cats, the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A team. The move to West Sacramento means that this season will be the last the A’s play in Oakland, where the franchise began in 1968.
Sutter Health Park has 10,624 permanent seats with lawn seating that boosts capacity to roughly 14,000, and is located about 85 miles northeast of the Oakland Coliseum. Per ESPN, the agreement with Sacramento is a three-year lease for 2025 to 2027 with a team option for 2028 in case the planned ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip is not completed in time. Athletics owner John Fisher said in a news release: “We explored several locations for a temporary home, including the Oakland Coliseum. Even with the long-standing relationship and good intentions on all sides in the negotiations with Oakland, the conditions to achieve an agreement seemed out of reach. We understand the disappointment this news brings to our fans, as this season marks our final one in Oakland. Throughout this season, we will honor and celebrate our time in Oakland, and will share additional details soon.”
The move to play at Sutter Health Park came after negotiations between the Athletics with local officials and the NBA’s Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé, who also owns the River Cats. Fisher said: “We extend our appreciation to the Kings and the City of West Sacramento, and look forward to making Sutter Health Park our home until our new ballpark opens in Las Vegas.” Ranadivé added in his own statement: “I’m thrilled to welcome the A’s to Sutter Health Park, where players and fans alike can enjoy a world-class baseball experience and create unforgettable memories. Today marks the next chapter of professional sports in Sacramento. The passion of our fans is second to none, and this is an incredible opportunity to showcase one of the most dynamic and vibrant markets in the country.”
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao shared in a press release: “Oakland offered a deal that was fair to the A’s and was fiscally responsible for our city. We wish the A’s the best and will continue our conversations with them on facilitating the sale of their share of the Coliseum site. The City of Oakland will now focus on advancing redevelopment efforts at the Coliseum.”
MLB team owners unanimously approved the Oakland Athletics plans to relocate to Las Vegas in November, and the franchise purchased 49 acres at Dean Martin Drive and Tropicana Avenue, near the Las Vegas Strip (the now-former home of the Tropicana Las Vegas) where the Athletics plan to construct a $1.5 billion stadium. The Tropicana closed for good on Tuesday.
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