OAKLAND — Oakland might lose yet another professional sports team, if the Major League Baseball commissioner’s predictions are correct.
During an interview with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on Sirius XM, commissioner Rob Manfred said he wasn’t optimistic the Oakland A’s will be able to build a new stadium in Oakland.
“I think the mayor in Oakland has made a huge effort to try to get it done in Oakland. It just doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. I’m not positive about it,” he told Russo.
The team’s lease at the Coliseum ends after the 2024 season.
“I think the A’s have proceeded prudently in terms of exploring the Las Vegas alternative, given the lack of pace in Oakland. I think they have to look for an alternative,” Manfred said.
He said Oakland might leave within the next five years.
“It’s not the first time or the last time that we’ll hear that comment — not only from Major League Baseball commissioners but we also heard that exact statement from the National Football League, the Raiders, the Warriors and so forth,” said Oakland city councilmember Noel Gallo.
Gallo said he wants the team to stay in Oakland but he doesn’t want taxpayers to carry the burden of redeveloping or building a new ballpark at Howard Terminal.
The progress for getting approval for that project has been slow.
“The bottom line is we don’t have an economic, financial analysis even to this point. Everybody loves Oakland so much and they’re rooted in Oakland but, here at the council, we’re still waiting for the in-writing proposal , a financial plan, a written proposal from the A’s what are they willing to invest,” Gallo said.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who’s nearing the end of her second term in office, said in a statement to KPIX:
“I appreciate Commissioner Manfred’s kind words about my role as champion of a new waterfront ballpark for our Oakland A’s. I spoke with him today and assured him that I remain absolutely confident our deal in Oakland will get done next year even with new leadership in place . The A’s are continuing to invest tremendous resources into an Oakland deal. We are working together every day to realize our shared vision for a vibrant waterfront neighborhood with public parks, good jobs, affordable housing and an iconic home for our Oakland A’s.”
“Well, that’s what the mayor says. She said the same thing about the Raiders and the Warriors,” Gallo said.
The Oakland A’s struggled with low attendance this season.
Meanwhile, the city council expects to see an independent economic analysis of the Howard Terminal project by the end of November.
Betty Yu
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