The A's are rooted in Oakland, but that could change depending on how city council members vote on a proposed project that would build a stadium in Jack London Square.
“If the A’s leave that would just break my heart,” said a fan.
According to a full page ad, a heartbreak could come on July 20 if Oakland City Council members give a thumbs down to a proposed stadium site -- the Howard Terminal in Jack London Square.
“It’s Howard terminal or bust, that's where we are in Oakland,” said Dave Kaval, the president of the Athletics.
He feels like the Howard Terminal site is a homerun for the city and the organization.
“We have an incredible $12 billion project that we’re willing to invest in to have things like affordable housing, a billion dollars for the general fund, a billion dollar stadium,” said Kaval.
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The A's have been fighting for the Jack London site for months, and it’s no secret that cities like Las Vegas are also fighting for the major league team.
“We’re paying for everything, all we’re asking for is some of the project tax revenue could go to reimburse us for some of the upfront infrastructure,” said Kaval.
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City Councilmember Carroll Fife, who represents the district where Howard Terminal is located, said she’s looking forward to a July 7 study session that will give Oaklanders in her area a chance to speak publicly about their desires for their neighborhood and the city at large.
“If they go to another state like Nevada or Arizona they will have many more opportunities for fans to come and enjoy the game,” said A’s fan Devan Babian.
The stands were pretty empty Tuesday, on a night when COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.
Kaval is not deterred, he said if a new stadium is built in Oakland, the fans will come.
That’s something he, and others, have to convince city councilmembers to believe in.
