Alex Rodriguez lands in Las Vegas as the Athletics preview their future home

Alex Rodriguez flew from a small airfield near Vista View, Florida, to Las Vegas’s Harry Reid International Airport late Monday, arriving just after 2:35 a.m. on June 16. The 4-hour-48-minute Gulfstream IV SP trip, tracked by celebplanes, brought the Miami-based former All-Star to a city that is increasingly central to his sport’s future.

The same week, the Oakland Athletics wrapped a six-game homestand at Las Vegas Ballpark — their future home starting in 2028 — drawing sellout crowds of about 8,500 per game despite triple-digit heat, per the Associated Press. Players toured the under-construction $1.5 billion Strip ballpark last Tuesday, with owner John Fisher calling it “a dream come true,” as reported by Sports Business Journal. Rodriguez, who co-owns the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, has business ties across sports and entertainment; Las Vegas has become a frequent stop on his travel pattern, with recent flights also touching down in Los Angeles, New York, and Minneapolis.

The trip follows a pattern: Rodriguez flew to Las Vegas three times in the past year, often for meetings tied to his investment portfolio or media work. This week, the city offered a front-row seat to baseball’s most ambitious relocation project since the Montreal Expos became the Washington Nationals.