A plan for a new Oakland A’s ballpark at Howard Terminal cleared another hurdle Wednesday, when the California State Assembly approved a bill supporting the proposal.
The A’s continue to make their case for a ballpark plan at the Port of Oakland’s Howard Terminal, which calls for the facility to anchor development at the site that includes housing and other amenities. Assembly Bill 1191, introduced by California State Assembly member Rob Bonta, is legislation being considered by state lawmakers that would help facilitate the ballpark’s construction. According to Press Democrat, the bill would do so by authorizing “the city of Oakland to acquire reclaimed tidelands around Howard Terminal by trading other properties to the State Lands Commission.”
A committee advanced the bill last month, and it took another step forward with Wednesday’s 56-0 vote by the California State Assembly. With this hurdle cleared, the bill now proceeds to the state senate. More from NBC Sports California:
The California State Assembly passed Assembly Bill 1191, which would allow for the A’s to construct a privately financed ballpark at Oakland’s Howard Terminal site. The legislation passed 56-0, according to A’s president Dave Kaval.
“We still have much work ahead of us, but this is another significant milestone for our club and our city,” Kaval said in a statement Wednesday.
There have been a few political victories of late for the A’s, including the approval of a tentative term sheet on Howard Terminal by Port of Oakland officials earlier this month. Plenty of steps remain before the proposal can move forward, however, including additional local and state-level approvals, an environmental impact review, and a final land lease.
A new Howard Terminal ballpark could open as early as 2023. In addition, the A’s are proposing to redevelop the Oakland Coliseum site, with the project including an amphitheater to replace the Coliseum and other new construction taking place in the existing parking lots. The A’s and architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group recently released new renderings for the plans at both sites, with one depicting the Howard Terminal ballpark shown at the top of this page.
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