Salt Lake City and Nashville Emerge as Top MLB Expansion Candidates

Salt Lake City has secured $900 million in state funding and a 100-acre site for a potential MLB stadium.

Major League Baseball is expected to open its first expansion process in over three decades following the signing of a new collective-bargaining agreement. Commissioner Rob Manfred aims to select two new cities—one on the West Coast and one on the East Coast—before his retirement in January 2029. Potential owners are expected to face expansion fees exceeding $2 billion, with some estimates reaching the $2.5 billion range.

Salt Lake City is currently the most advanced Western candidate through the Big League Utah group. The Larry H. Miller Company has pledged $3.5 billion for a multiuse development, while the state has earmarked $900 million to cover half of a stadium's cost. The proposed 100-acre site, known as the Power District, is already under construction on the city's west side.

Nashville remains a front-runner for the Eastern slot despite lacking a confirmed owner, stadium site, or public funding. While the Music City Baseball group has developed the "Nashville Stars" brand, local officials including Mayor Freddie O'Connell have indicated a preference for a privately funded facility. Other contenders include Raleigh, where billionaire Tom Dundon has pledged support, and Portland, which has $800 million in state-earmarked funding and a letter of intent for the 33-acre Zidell Yards site.

Orlando and Montreal are also under consideration. Orlando’s bid features a 35.5-acre plot near SeaWorld, though the group recently lost a $975 million request for tourist-tax funding. Montreal, the only candidate city to have previously hosted MLB games, is being led by WatchMojo CEO Ashkan Karbasfrooshan, who is currently seeking to organize stakeholders for a formal bid.