Sacramento region launches bid for MLB expansion team: "The Sacramento Pitch"
Sacramento-area leaders formally launched a bid Thursday to bring a Major League Baseball expansion team to the region, unveiling a proposal tied to a nearly $2 billion public-private investment and a new ballpark district in West Sacramento.
The proposed stadium site would sit in West Sacramento's River District, just south of Sutter Health Park, as part of a fully controlled and entitled 50-acre mixed-use development.
Regional leaders, business groups and former Major League players gathered to pitch Sacramento as a future West Coast market for MLB expansion.
The investment plan includes about $800 million in land and private investment, along with about $1 billion expected from the City of West Sacramento through tax increment financing, hotel fees and other sources. West Sacramento officials said the money would not come from the city's general fund, and no public vote would be needed.
The $800 million portion includes a $500 million cash investment through the United Auburn Indian Community and the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, along with a land donation tied to the current Sutter Health Park site that accounts for about $300 million in land equity.
Speakers at the announcement included Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty, West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero and former big leaguers Dusty Baker and Derrek Lee.
Guerrero previewed the effort during her State of the City address last week.
"West Sacramento has proven to be a success at hosting Major League Baseball crowds and the buzz in the air around Sutter Health Park shows that the region is ready. Having MLB teams play in Sacramento elevates our visibility and our viability," Guerrero said.
The push comes as the A's temporarily play in West Sacramento while preparing for their move to Las Vegas in 2028.
Local leaders say the region's recent population growth, strong sports fan base and sellout crowds for the A's have helped build momentum for an expansion push.
Supporters of the bid are also pointing to Sacramento's market size. The metro region has a population of about 2.7 million people but only one major North American professional sports franchise, the NBA's Sacramento Kings.
Sacramento also ranks as the 20th-largest media market in the U.S., with 1.55 million TV homes, according to Nielsen data for the 2025-26 season.
The pitch mirrors other recent efforts to elevate Sacramento's sports profile, including Sacramento State's push for a higher-profile role in college athletics, by leaning heavily on the region's population growth, media market and fan support.
