As Utah’s bid for a Major League Baseball team continues, aspirations for what the team could be for the state are high.

Like Angels Landing high.

Just ask Steve Starks, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company.

“Our aspiration is to create the sixth national park in Utah,” Starks told The Salt Lake Tribune. “We want people to put this on their list of ballparks that they have to come and see.”

Big League Utah, a group led by Gail Miller and the Miller group, unveiled its plans for a $1.8 billion stadium and accompanying Power District in Salt Lake City’s west side in 2023.

With the project beginning to take shape — Rocky Mountain Power’s new 10-story headquarters will hold its topping-off ceremony next month — Utah’s bid for MLB has only gained momentum.

So what would it look like if Utah added an MLB team and ballpark district? The most common comparison is the Atlanta Braves’ “The Battery” district, which opened in various stages in 2017.

As Starks notes, many see it as the “gold standard in sports entertainment districts.” The Miller group has consulted closely with the Atlanta group for ideas and feedback.

But Starks thinks the Utah site has an advantage over the Atlanta project.

“They don’t have a river. They don’t have public transit, and they left the city. They went north of Atlanta,” he said. “So they went to a suburb, and as we worked with them, some of the feedback was, ‘We wish we could have done this in the heartbeat of Atlanta.’

“As we explored options, and by taking the Bees to South Jordan, it cleared Salt Lake as the capital city, to be able to be the home of a future MLB team, and that we can do all of that five minutes from downtown.”

MLB insiders have taken notice, often listing Salt Lake City as a favorite if the league chooses to expand.

Starks mentioned that ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently recorded a podcast with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, during which Passan said, “There is no other market as ready as you all are.”

But there’s a holdup.

The league’s current collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1, 2026, and Starks said a new deal will have to be struck before the league turns its attention to expansion.

“I would say that the informal feedback is incredibly positive, but they have to address the CBA first, and that will dictate the timing of expansion after that,” Starks said.

Meaning a potential lockout could delay things.

“They won’t start the expansion process until they have some clarity about what the system is going to look like,” Starks said.

Still, the goal remains to add a team in Utah by 2030. Or at least be ready for one.

“We think so, but a lot of that depends truly on when they can get (a new CBA),” Starks said. “And then when do they set up the expansion committee? Is it immediately following? Do they take a year off? We’re not sure, but our goal is that we could be ready opening pitch 2030 with a major league stadium.

“We are acting as though we need to be ready. We are excited about that.”