Overview
- ESPN reporter Jeff Passan’s Tuesday reporting identified Salt Lake City as the most advanced candidate because it already has an owner, major private financing and a site under development.
- The Larry H. Miller Company is the lead ownership group and has committed roughly $3.5 billion to the Power District development while Utah has approved about $900 million in state support for the project.
- MLB will not move forward with expansion until a new collective-bargaining agreement is reached, and Commissioner Rob Manfred has said he wants two expansion cities decided by his planned January 2029 retirement.
- Nashville remains the leading Eastern contender in public perception but lacks a confirmed owner, a stadium site and public financing, and local leaders have signaled a preference for private funding.
- League officials and observers say political will and the presence of an anchor investor are the decisive factors going forward, with an expansion committee likely to be formed within roughly the next 12–24 months to vet bids before ownership votes.