The City of Oakland will pursue sole ownership of the Oakland Coliseum complex, a move that could simplify discussions if the Oakland A’s build a new ballpark there.
Over the last 52 years, Oakland and Alameda County have shared ownership of the Coliseum complex, which includes the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum and Oracle Arena. The complex will undergo some major changes in the coming years, as the A’s are seeking a new ballpark, while the NFL’s Raiders are set to relocate to Las Vegas in 2020, and the NBA’s Golden State Warriors will leave Oracle Arena for San Francisco’s Chase Center in 2019.
Those moves could open up possibilities for redevelopment of the Coliseum site down the road. It is one of three locations in the mix for a new A’s ballpark, but local officials believe that development could be pursued regardless of whether the team builds a new facility there. While the negotiation process will have to unfold, officials believe that any move by Oakland to take control of the property could simplify discussions of development on the site. More from the San Francisco Chronicle:
“The city of Oakland and Alameda County are aligned in the view that development of the Coliseum property would be simplified and streamlined with a single owner that controls all aspects of the future development process,” City Administrator Sabrina Landreth said in a statement to The Chronicle. “To that end, the city and county are engaging in discussions on the terms of an agreement that will be mutually beneficial. We will publicly discuss the outcome of these negotiations at the appropriate time.”
City spokeswoman Karen Boyd said the first meeting will take place this month.
If a sale does move forward, it is expected that the city will purchase the county’s 50% share in the Coliseum, an unpaved parking lot behind the venue, Oracle Arena, plus the site of the Raiders’ training complex in Alameda.
A scenario in which Oakland is the sole owner of the Coliseum site could simplify new ballpark discussions for the A’s, though it remains to be seen whether that will emerge as the team’s top choice for the location of a new facility. Last September, the team announced that a location near Laney College was its preferred site for a new ballpark, but that effort suffered a setback in December when discussions with the Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees collapsed. However, that site is still on the table as the team continues its search, as is Howard Terminal.
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