A’s unveil high-end club spaces behind home plate at Strip ballpark

The Athletics’ $2 billion Las Vegas ballpark will feature two exclusive, upscale club spaces situated just behind home plate.

The Athletic Club and Diamond Club spaces will be the most exclusive spaces in the 33,000-fan capacity stadium, the A’s and ballpark concessionaire Aramark Sports + Entertainment announced in a press release Friday.

The two club spaces will feature about 1,000 seats in total, with the Athletic Club accounting for about 300 of those with seating in the first six rows behind home plate, according to the A’s. The remaining seats tied to Diamond Club members will be located just behind the Athletic Club seats.

The club space announcement comes following the Las Vegas Stadium Authority’s approval of the A’s personal seat license program. About 20 percent of seats in the ballpark will require a PSL to purchase season tickets. Those will be made up of mainly higher-tier premium seats like the Athletic and Diamond clubs.

Athletic Club

The all-inclusive Athletic Club experience for each home game — all food and beverages, including wine, beer and spirits, are included with the price of the season ticket — is being developed by renowned restaurateur and New York Times best-selling author Will Guidara.

“What we set out to build here is something a little different — a space built around a simple idea: what if getting to the stadium early became one of the best parts of the night,” Guidara said in a statement. “Some of the best moments in life happen around a table. It’s where people slow down, share a drink, tell stories, and settle into each other’s company. We wanted to bring that spirit into the ballpark and create a place where gathering together is part of the experience, not just a stop along the way to the game.”

Guidara said each aspect of the Athletic Club was designed with intention, with many aspects that will come to life as a season ticket holder spends time in the luxury space.

“At the center of it all is a commitment to thoughtfulness and genuine graciousness,” Guidara said. “Our hope is that it pushes the conversation forward about how people come together before a game and opens the door to a new kind of ballpark experience — one that begins long before the first pitch.”

The space will feature a private restaurant and supper club with multi-course offerings, a table-service menu, with anupscale lounge featuring small plates and a full bar stocked with craft beer, curated wines, and premium cocktails, according to the release.

“The Athletic Club is about providing fans with something innovative and unique that exists only in Las Vegas,” A’s president Marc Badain said. “By partnering with Will and Aramark, we’re setting a new standard for baseball hospitality, delivering exceptional food and service in a way that feels right at home in this city.”

The A’s will also aim to have personalized hospitality touches delivered at each game by maître d’s, sommeliers, and dining concierges that will look to create unique, memorable experiences, the release said.

“(It’s) a really social, traditional white tablecloth experience,” Danielle Lazor, regional vice president in sports and entertainment of the west region for Aramark, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “That’s what we’re aiming for, where it’s really personalized and where you can conduct busines but also bring a family.”

The Athletic Club experience will last for the length of each game, with special grab-and-go offerings, in-seat beverage service, surprise culinary moments, and a signature candy wall, according to the A’s.

Diamond Club

The Diamond Club has also been developed in partnership between the A’s, Aramark and Guidara, which will be an all-inclusive social hub for premium ticket members. Athletic Club members will also have access to the Diamond Club.

Diamond Club members will have access to a buffet-style set up, featuring Vegas-inspired food stations that include locally curated dishes, chef’s specials, and a selection of elevated game day favorites, according to the release.

“The Diamond Club which is a very different experience and you might see some more of your ballpark favorites with a twist,” Lazor said. “So they (club seat holders) … over the course of 81 games can do a lot of different things with their membership in these areas.”

On sale soon

Tickets for the Athletic Club and Diamond Club will go on sale later this month to fans on the A’s priority access list. Pricing information was not available for the season tickets or the PSLs that will be required in these sections.

“The Athletic Club and Diamond Club are ultra-premium, all-inclusive experiences designed for fans seeking the highest level of hospitality,” Badain said. “They are comparable to, and in many cases exceed, top-tier offerings across Major League Baseball and here in Las Vegas. Our fan research showed strong demand for this type of elevated experience.”