SACRAMENTO, Calif — Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento is being explored as an option for Oakland Athletics games in 2025.
A source close to the organization told ABC10 that members of the Oakland A's toured the ballpark Thursday.
The A’s lease at the Oakland Coliseum expires after the 2024 season and it remains unclear where the team will play before a new ballpark opens, in 2027 at the earliest.
The move comes after years of complaints about the Coliseum and the inability to get government help for a new ballpark in the Bay Area. The A's plan to move to a stadium to be built on the Las Vegas Strip with $380 million in public finance approved by the Nevada government.
Nevada’s Legislature and governor approved public financing for a $1.5 billion, 30,000-seat ballpark with a retractable roof that will be close to Allegiant Stadium, where the NFL’s Oakland Raiders moved in 2020, and T-Mobile Arena.
Oakland is the franchise's third home. It started in Philadelphia from 1901-54, then moved to Kansas City for 13 seasons before arriving in California.
“I was pretty excited to hear about this,” said Martha Guerrero, West Sacramento Mayor.
Guerrero adds the city is prepared to work with the A's, also with the Sacramento River Cats affiliate San Francisco Giants and the River Cats ownership, the Sacramento Kings.
“They are looking at what we can do to revitalize our riverfront, and they are reaching far," said Guerrero. "We are standing behind them in support."
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg echoes Guerrero’s points and says what is good for the region is good for Sacramento.
“We want more in the city and in this region. More sports, more art, more culture, more amenities, and more destinations," said Steinberg.
Steinberg says Major League Baseball has expansion plans and if Sacramento can secure the A's temporarily, it could showcase the region as a future MLB destination.
“It is all part of offering more to the people that live in this region, but also to make us a tourist destination as well. That is good for the community. It is good for the economy. Sports is a big part of it. Not the only part but a big part of it," said Steinberg.
