"A's declare Laney College preferred site for new Oakland ballpark"

[Jamaal510]

More: https://www.athleticsnation.com/2017/9/12/16299944/oakland-athletics-laney-college-preferred-site-new-ballpark

San Francisco Chronicle reporters Phil Matier and Andy Ross report that Oakland Athletics president Dave Kaval will hand deliver a letter to Peralta Community College District Chancellor Jowel Laguerre “asking to begin negotiations to buy or lease” a 13-acre plot of land near Laney College in order to build a new stadium for the Oakland A’s. The plot currently houses the district’s headquarters.

The exclusive report from Matier and Ross includes quotes from Kaval’s letter, including details on proposed ancillary development around the site. The A’s desire to play their first game at this new stadium in 2023.

It was widely reported that the A’s had primarily been considering three finalists in its search for the long-awaited ballpark site: Howard Terminal near Jack London Square, another portion of the current Oakland Coliseum lot, and Laney College. The Laney decision was also divided between the Peralta lot, which abuts the Nimitz Freeway and a northern parcel that would essentially require relocating Laney College’s baseball and football programs.

The safest and most boring choice would have been to build a new stadium at the current Coliseum lot. It has the most advantageous transit situation of the three primary sites but the least compelling neighborhood draws.

Great news that they finally declared a site, and it is adjacent to public transit and there's a nearby view of the lake. Also I think this announcement from the A's might even help derail the Raiders' Vegas stadium efforts down the line. Though, I'm a bit bummed at the "2023" number people threw around for when the A's stadium might be ready...

[msongs]

1. "least compelling neighborhood draws..." gee I wonder what that means nt

[Iggo]

3. Hmm...yeah.

[brush]

2. This won't stop the Raiders' move. They want a football stadium witn no baseball infield.

It's embarrassing that the Raiders are the only NFL team that still has to play it's games with that ugly infield cut-out.

And why can Oakland come up with the money for a baseball stadium but not a football one?

Not to mention Oakland is also losing the Warriors because of no basketball arena upgrade.

What's up with that? The city is losing the team most identified with Oakland, the borne-and-raised Raiders, and the two-time champion basketball team, the Warriors.

If they screw this up they may lose the A's to San Jose.

[Brother Buzz]

4. It would be 100% privately financed

But (and there's always a but) the city would be on the hook for required infrastructure improvements to accommodate a new ballpark, and I suspect there might be some significant re-alignment issues to make it all work.