"This is a very different building" - Oakland A's Vegas ballpark architect speaks out after Sydney Opera House comparisons

The Oakland Athletics revealed the renderings of their new ballpark, which will be built in Las Vegas.

The designs are prepared by Bjarke Ingles, the same architect who drew plans for the ballpark in Oakland.

The renderings made an instant comparison with the Sydney Opera House in Australia. Ingles was asked about the comparisons in a sit-down interaction with The Athletic.

"I’ve seen it, and I mean, I can see the point, I’ll definitely take it as a compliment. I think it’s one of the most beautiful buildings on Earth. And I think in all fairness, this is a very different building," Ingles said.

"It’s a circle in floorplan; it’s essentially a dome. But it is true that the way that the ribbons arch and nest could evoke some thoughts to a distant Australian cousin. Regardless, I’ll definitely take it as a compliment."

The group led by Bjarke Ingles will work alongside HNTB to design the nine-acre stadium.

This design will be part of a bigger 35-acre plan for the Tropicana hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Bally's Corp. and Gaming & Leisure Properties intend to replace the Tropicana with a new resort.

However, it hasn't been decided how the A's new stadium will fit around these new developments.

---

Oakland Athletics fans are not happy about the move to Las Vegas

Fans of the Oakland Athletics were disappointed on hearing the news of the club shifting to Las Vegas.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee vowed to hold the MLB owners accountable for “prioritizing their pockets over the communities that have supported them.”

“It’s incredibly disappointing, but not surprising that a group of billionaire owners supported another billionaire owner’s efforts to line his own pockets at the expense of a passionate community and fan base,” said Lee in a statement. “The East Bay does not deserve to lose its last professional sports team. It’s shameful.” [via KQED].

This development comes after years of complaints about the Oakland Coliseum.

The stakeholders at Athletics tried to negotiate for assistance from the government to finance a new ballpark in Oakland.

However, nothing materialized, prompting them to shift their base to Las Vegas, where the government gave a grant of $380 million for the construction of a new ballpark.