As the search for the site of a new ballpark continues, a report says that the Oakland A’s are appearing to show interest in a location near Laney College.
According to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, the A’s are expressing”strong interest” in a 13-acre site that is currently occupied by the headquarters of the Peralta Community College District. That location is one of three in the mix, as the A’s are reported to also be considering Howard Terminal as well as the land surrounding the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
The land west of Laney College offers a few advantages. It would put the A’s in a location that is near downtown and close to Interstate 880, while also being within walking distance of the Lake Merritt BART Station.
Though the site’s advantages could appeal to the A’s, there are some questions over whether students and faculty of Laney College will voice their objections. Additionally, Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf has touted the Howard Terminal site as a viable option, but the A’s have expressed some reservations about that location because of concerns over access and its relatively far distance from the closest BART Station.
For now, the A’s are saying that all three options are on the table as they continue their search. More from The San Francisco Chronicle:
Officially, the A’s say they are weighing the Howard Terminal and Peralta sites equally, as well as building at the Coliseum site — which, while the least sexy of the locations, has great transportation access.
A’s President David Kaval said all three sites “are neck-and-neck” and that wherever the team tries to build, it will need everyone “pulling in the same direction.”
Translation: As promising as the Peralta site looks on paper, the A’s front office is keenly aware that it will have to overcome some real political headwinds to succeed there.
One big sign the A’s have their eyes on downtown: They’re about to move their front office out of the Coliseum and into Jack London Square.
The A’s have previously indicated that they hope to announce their preferred ballpark site by the end of this year. The search is sure to be watched closely, as the A’s are looking to stay in Oakland at a point where the city’s major sports scene is in something of a transition. The NFL’s Raiders have already obtained permission to move to Las Vegas, where a new stadium is expected to open in 2020, while the NBA’s Golden State Warriors are playing out their final seasons at Oracle Arena and are expected to move into the Chase Center in San Francisco for the 2019-20 season.
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