Home of the Las Vegas A's for now
Sutter Health Park: A Functional Classic Steps Into the Spotlight
Sutter Health Park has long been known as the home of the Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. But starting this year, it has taken on a new, temporary identity as the home of the Las Vegas Athletics, while the MLB team awaits the completion of its future ballpark in Nevada.
That unexpected promotion put a fresh spotlight on a venue originally built for smaller crowds—but designed with solid fundamentals. The stadium, which opened in 2000 as Raley Field, was designed by HNTB Architecture, a national firm with a long résumé in sports architecture. Known for their no-frills, functional approach, HNTB focused on clean sightlines, broad concourses, and a material palette that blends brick, concrete, and steel—offering a subtle nod to traditional ballparks without sliding too far into nostalgia.
Built near the Sacramento River, the stadium offers local postcard views of the California capitol city's downtown skyline and Tower Bridge. It’s not flashy, but it doesn’t need to be.
The stadium has hosted not only baseball, but also concerts, festivals, and civic events—thanks in part to its flexible, open-air layout. Though Sutter Health Park is a minor league facility, HNTB has had a hand in several Major League Baseball projects as well. The firm worked as a consultant or associate architect on: Busch Stadium (St. Louis Cardinals, opened 2006) Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees, opened 2009) Nationals Park (Washington Nationals, opened 2008 – supporting roles).
In the minor leagues, HNTB designed ONEOK Field in Tulsa and Hammons Field in Springfield, Ill.—both stadiums that mirror Sutter Health Park’s straightforward, fan-first sensibility.
With the A’s in town, the ballpark will be put to the test. Whether it proves up to Major League demands remains to be seen. But architecturally, Sutter Health Park has already shown staying power—built for baseball, adaptable by design, and now part of the game’s evolving history. After half a dozen games played, reviews have been positive labeling it a small park with a big heart.
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