WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento will be the temporary home for the Athletics for at least three MLB seasons before its move to Las Vegas, but Sacramento leaders are already looking beyond the A's.
CEO and President of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, Barry Broome, said Thursday Sutter Health Park is going to be the most fun stadium to watch a Major League Baseball game in.
"One of the other things that's really important is we're so thrilled today, but we're not satisfied because in 2028 there'll be more teams to compete for and we want to be a permanent Major League Baseball franchise," Broome said.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said at a February press conference he hopes to have a plan in place to expand the league to 32 teams before his term expires in 2029, as reported by ESPN.
The A's stop in Sacramento is temporary as they plan to move to a stadium to be built on the Las Vegas Strip with $380 million in public financing approved by the Nevada government. However, the team needed a temporary home as the new ballpark isn't expected to open until the 2028 season.
West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero echoed Boome, saying the city has worked towards this.
"We have everything in place, we've been waiting for this moment. We've been building the riverfront for this moment and we are ready to make this happen and make it successful — as Barry said more than the three years," Guerrero said.
If the expansion happens, will Sacramento be one of the lucky cities getting a permanent MLB team? It's no secret the A's will be an opportunity for the city to show it can support a major league team.
Sacramento Kings and River Cats owner Vivek Ranadivé said Thursday that Golden 1 Center has proven Sacramento can be a sports mecca.
"Today's announcement marks the next chapter of professional sports in Sacramento. We have a tremendous opportunity to showcase everything the region has to offer and demonstrate why it is deserving of an MLB team. This is an exciting time to be a sports fan in Sacramento and I know the community will welcome the A's here with open arms," Ranadivé said.
Watch more on ABC10 | A's in Sacramento: Barry Broome on team moving | Raw
