This comes from today's SBN:

quote:

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Oakland Takes a Big Step towards Keeping the A's in Oakland

City officials took a major step toward keeping the A's in Oakland on Tuesday when they hosted the nation's leading sports architectural firm. Two representatives from Kansas City-based HOK Sport toured five potential ballpark sites in Oakland. The firm and Oakland officials are expected to sign a contract soon, with the architects tentatively scheduled to return to the area later this month. That and this report from The Contra Costa Times' Ann Tatko

Three of Oakland's proposed sites would put a new A's ballpark in the heart of the city. Two port area proposals, at Howard Terminal and Ninth Avenue Terminal, would put the ballpark on the waterfront. An uptown site at San Pablo and Broadway would place the stadium near the City Hall Plaza. The other two sites being considered are near Laney College and near Network Associates Coliseum.

"A number of these sites are excellent," said Oakland City Councilman **** Spees, who is one of the officials examining the possibility of building a new baseball-only stadium. "Right now, we're really concentrating on downtown locations."

City officials are trying to convince the A's and Major League Baseball that the franchise belongs in Oakland. Major League Baseball is entertaining the possibility of relocating low-revenue clubs like the A's. The franchise's owners also have expressed interest in moving the team to Santa Clara, where city officials are discussing plans of their own to build a ballpark.

"Baseball is the most family-affordable sport there is," Spees said, "so there is a strong will to keep the A's in Oakland."

Spees said a proposed ballpark deal probably wouldn't be ready for consideration until mid-fall. City officials have not examined how they will pay for the project. Again, that and this report from The Contra Costa Times' Ann Tatko

"It's much too early to discuss that," Spees said.

Alameda County officials also are rallying behind the city's efforts to build a ballpark.

"I'm willing to work with whatever keeps the A's in town," said Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty, who also is chairman of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority. "If they want a downtown stadium, that becomes our mission, but if they just want to be somewhere in Oakland, that gives us some flexibility."

Although the downtown area holds the most appeal, the Coliseum area also is in the mix.

The area between Interstate 880 and Hegenberger Road currently houses the Coliseum and the Arena in Oakland, along with four spacious parking lots. Officials have suggested transforming one of those parking lots or nearby vacant land into a baseball-only ballpark.

"I have a developer in front of me who says he can do some development there now; that he can do a stadium," said Haggerty, "Certainly there's interest in doing that and turning that area of Hegenberger and 880 into a gateway for Oakland, but that's only one possibility."

Oakland officials have turned to HOK to help them choose from among those possibilities. In addition to site studies, HOK offers assistance with feasibility studies, cost estimating, budget reviews, contract administration, project scheduling, master planning, design and interior architecture.

This early stage, known as the discovery process, will help the parties select a site for a ballpark based on the unique characteristics of the city.

"I sat in on a briefing and was so impressed with both (HOK) individuals and the things they had to say," said Laurie DeVarney, spokeswoman for City Manager Robert Bobb. "The way they approach a project is so holistic."

One part of the discovery process involves recognizing the "touchstones" that people have within their community. These touchstones can range from churches to parks and monuments.

HOK designed Pacific Bell Park along San Francisco's China Basin and the Pirates' PNC Park at the foot of Pittsburgh's Clemente Bridge.

Earl Santee, one of HOK's senior principals who visited Oakland on Tuesday, directed the design effort for PNC Park and has worked on more than 16 Major League Baseball projects. He also was involved in the conceptual design and site selection phases for Denver's Coors Field. (source The Contra Costa Times' Ann Tatko)

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I guess the Oakland A's aren't quite as dead as we perhaps thought.

Doesn't surprise me that the city would make a play to keep the team- they're doing too well to just shoo out of town.


-New Yorker
Did you really think that Hoboken was the birthplace of Base Ball?

Just about every real player in relocation such as PDX also has a relationship with HOK, the issue is paying for it(park) and Oakland is going to be hardpressed to come up with the $, I am not sure the will is there considering that the A's have always been 2nd in Oaklanders hearts to the Raiders. If they get a finance plan together then I will believe they are going to stay in Oak town. From what I have read Oaklands owners would prefer to go to the San Jose area or sell, if you are a prospective buyer would you not be leery of being strapped to a new park in a town that has a history of mediocre support at best for a franchise?

I'm not advocating anything, I'm just keeping the conversation up to date.

Does anybody have the attendance numbers? I thought that I remembered somebody posting them here, showing that until recently A's support has been pretty good.

San Jose? No way. Santa Clara is a dead, dead issue.

And as far as this not being any big deal, it doesn't matter to me that other cities have relationships with HOK. The point is that Oakland is starting to establish a plan for keeping the team in town, and that is big news. Possession is 9/10ths of the law, after all. If they can show MLB that the team is wanted, a move might not be permitted.


-New Yorker
Did you really think that Hoboken was the birthplace of Base Ball?

I still think the A's will eventually move despite the positive step by Oakland of contracting HOK. As has been reported the current ownership is not big on Oakland and probably will sell, I then ask myself if I would want to stay in Oakland with their historically mediocre attendance if I was buying them, my answer would be no, so I dont think many prospective owners would want to stay either. I dont think MLB is gung ho to keep them in the Bay area either, one owner a year or two ago said anonymously "we should have never let them move to Oakland." As for current attendance I try to look at them historically, just wait till they have a couple seasons of .500 ball or worse. I think them and the Expos and probably the D-Rays will end up moving maybe not right away but eventually. Expos to Portland

quote:

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Originally posted by dean:
As for current attendance I try to look at them historically, just wait till they have a couple seasons of .500 ball or worse.

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I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

Do you have the attendance numbers?


-New Yorker
Did you really think that Hoboken was the birthplace of Base Ball?

No I dont have the numbers in front of me but I recall many seasons of less than spectacular attendance for tha A's and some of those years they were not that bad on the field as a team. An example go back a couple years ago before their current run of being a playoff contender and they had bad attendance figures. They have always been second fiddle to the Giants in the area and it probably will always be that way.

Sure, but that doesn't mean they need be moved.

Anytime you have two teams within a hundred miles of each other, one will end up playing second fiddle.


-New Yorker
Did you really think that Hoboken was the birthplace of Base Ball?

So why would ANYONE think there is a realistic chance of a THIRD team in the NY area (Brooklyn OR New Jersey)?