Click on the link to read the article from the Oakland Tribune

Wolff: San Jose no longer player in contest for A's
Oakland, Fremont officials find hope in co-owner's statement

By Chris De Benedetti and Barry Witt, STAFF WRITER AND MEDIANEWS

Fremont officials reacted with cautious optimism to Lew Wolff's blunt statement Wednesday that the Oakland A's are not moving to the South Bay.

"It's not an option," said Wolff, the team's co-owner, at a San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce gathering.

Wolff has taken similar stances in the past, but his comments were the most stridently negative to date. The new development slightly buoyed Fremont leaders, who have held informal talks with Wolff for more than a year about relocating the team to Fremont.

"It's good to hear on one hand," Fremont City Manager Fred Diaz said. "It substantiates ... that Lew Wolff has been very serious about our community and has been for some time."

Since early this year, Wolff has focused his ballpark search on a Fremont site controlled by Cisco Systems. But he has yet to reach an agreement to acquire the property near the Pacific Commons shopping center.

Wolff offered few details about his search for a new ballpark when reached by phone Wednesday afternoon.

"It's moving in a positive direction," he said.

Meanwhile, Diaz said the A's and Fremont officials continue to have an ongoing dialogue about the Cisco property, but that there is nothing new to report.

Wolff intimated at his downtown San Jose appearance that he has made offers to the San Francisco Giants "” which hold territorial rights to Santa Clara County under baseball's rules "” to buy the Giants' interests. But the Giants won't budge.

"It's not a matter of money with the Giants," Wolff said. "I think it should be, but it isn't."

Wolff said he has made several efforts in the past three years "” both before and after he took control of the A's in 2005 "” to find a way to break through the Giants' rights, but "I can't tilt at this windmill anymore."

"That's a step in the right direction,"added Fremont Vice Mayor Steve Cho. "But whatever is said today may not mean anything tomorrow."

Cho also cautioned that the territorial rights issue could change quickly. "Anything is possible if you tack on enough zeros to the (figures offered to the) Giants," he said.

The A's, co-owned by Wolff and billionaire John Fisher, have called Oakland home since 1968. However, the owners want to replace the 40-year-old McAfee Coliseum with a new ballpark, which they believe would increase the team's revenue streams. The team plans to finance a new stadium privately with a "ballpark village," which would surround a new baseball park with housing, hotels and some retail.

Wolff first presented his ballpark plans last year to the Coliseum Joint Powers Authority in Oakland, where officials Wednesday also responded with hope, but few details, that they will be able to retain the A's.

"Certainly (Wolff's statements) may leave some room for optimism," said Mike Healy, spokesman for Oakland Mayor-elect Ron Dellums. "(Dellums) does not want to see Oakland lose the A's. The question is whether or not there is a solution."

Councilman Larry Reid, who represents the district where the Coliseum sits, agreed.

"The history of the A's is the history of Oakland," he said. "But there needs to be the political will both in the city and the county."

Meanwhile, Wolff also said that he doesn't want to put a potential soccer stadium to a public vote, which may not bode well for San Jose Earthquakes fans still mourning the team's relocation to Houston last year.

Wolff acquired an option from Major League Soccer earlier this year to acquire an expansion franchise in the Bay Area if he can build a stadium. He said he has had talks in San Jose, Santa Clara and San Francisco in search of a new soccer stadium, but not in Fremont, where the A's have focused only on a potential baseball park.

He previously has said that he wants a public agency to contribute land toward a soccer stadium, and that he would fund its construction privately. By city law, San Jose could not contribute land for free without a public vote.

If Wolff found another agency to contribute the land, however, San Jose remains an option. Among the areas under consideration are San Jose State University's south campus and the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds.


"Certainly (Wolff's statements) may leave some
room for optimism. (Dellums) does not want to see Oakland lose the A's. The question is whether or not there is a solution."

Mike Healy

SPOKESMAN FOR OAKLAND MAYOR-ELECT RON DELLUMS

quote:

Originally posted by Transic:
Wolff intimated at his downtown San Jose appearance that he has made offers to the San Francisco Giants "” which hold territorial rights to Santa Clara County under baseball's rules "” to buy the Giants' interests. But the Giants won't budge.

"It's not a matter of money with the Giants," Wolff said. "I think it should be, but it isn't."

Wolff said he has made several efforts in the past three years "” both before and after he took control of the A's in 2005 "” to find a way to break through the Giants' rights, but "I can't tilt at this windmill anymore."

"That's a step in the right direction,"added Fremont Vice Mayor Steve Cho. "But whatever is said today may not mean anything tomorrow."

Cho also cautioned that the territorial rights issue could change quickly. "Anything is possible if you tack on enough zeros to the (figures offered to the) Giants," he said.

For the Giants, it is about the money, and Wolff doesn't have enough zeroes to satisfy them. I think the Giants see Silicon Valley as THAT lucrative.

quote:

Wolff offered few details about his search for a new ballpark when reached by phone Wednesday afternoon.

"It's moving in a positive direction," he said.

Connect the dots ... San Jose, the furthest south - Out ... Fremont, mid-East Bay - too far from major downtowns ... Oakland, the current location - no money, no political willpower ... Sacramento, further north but still in California - no interest ...

Keep going north, Mr. Wolff - THAT is the most positive direction you can move!