As the MLB’s revenue hits new heights and player salaries increase, stadium construction costs continue to trend in the same direction.
Never a straightforward matter, MLB stadiums feature prolonged discussions of publicly allocated funds, overall costs, and net benefit to the citizens close by.
Baseball’s most expensive stadiums took years of planning and heated discussions before breaking ground. They also include backstories with as much controversy as the stadium costs themselves.
The most expensive MLB stadium is the new Yankee Stadium, costing $3.6 billion in inflation adjusted dollars.
The Yankees contributed about $670 million while the New York taxpayers took on the remainder of the project’s total costs.
Even though it finished on schedule before the 2009 regular season, it didn’t help that construction had to stop for 5 hours to remove a jersey of their biggest rivals.
A loyal Red Sox fan and construction worker at Yankee Stadium, Gino Castignoli, buried a David Ortiz jersey, hoping to curse the new stadium. But his plans were foiled by two loyal Yankees supporters and fellow construction workers who guided the extraction of the jersey.
Ranking second is Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, which cost $1.41 billion in 2024 inflation adjusted dollars.
Construction began in September 2017 to mixed reactions. Plans for the deal included calls for the city of Arlington to issue $500 million in bonds to help pay for the stadium.
COVID-19 delayed its opening for fans from spring 2020 until October, but a freak accident could’ve delayed it even further.
Sparks from a welder ignited with a crate of materials, catching the crate and the roof on fire. It took 37 minutes to evacuate everyone from the building but luckily, no injuries or extensive damage was reported.
Firefighters responded quickly to the scene to prevent the fire from spreading. The Rangers and taxpayers were spared the need for additional funds to repair the damage.
Ranking The Most Expensive MLB Stadiums to Build
Here is the full list of the most expensive MLB stadiums, adjusted for inflation, compiled with historical cost reports from the New York Times, Dallas News, and more.
- Updated: August 5, 2024
| Rank | Stadium | MLB Team | Location | Year Construction Began | Total Construction Cost (Inflation Adjusted) |
| 1 | Yankee Stadium | New York Yankees | Bronx, New York | 2006 | $3.6 billion |
| 2 | Globe Life Field | Texas Rangers | Arlington, Texas | 2017 | $1.41 billion |
| 3 | Citi Field | New York Mets | Queens, New York | 2006 | $1.4 billion |
| 4 | Nationals Park | Washington Nationals | Washington, D.C. | 2006 | $919 million |
| 5 | Truist Park | Atlanta Braves | Atlanta, GA | 2014 | $825 million |
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