Oakland files lawsuit to block Oakland Athletics from buying Coliseum complex

Oakland files lawsuit to block Oakland Athletics from buying Coliseum complex

By Lynda Carson - October 1, 2019

Oakland - The Oakland City Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit against the County of Alameda (Case NO. RG19036930), on September 27, 2019, at the direction of the Oakland City Council to block the sale of the Coliseum complex property to the Athletics Investment Group, LLC (Oakland Athletics).

Earlier today, reportedly Alameda County Court Judge Frank Roesch issued a temporary restraining (TRO) to block the sale of the property. A hearing has been set for November 14, 2019, when the City of Oakland can make its case to explain why the County of Alameda should not be able to sell its 50 percent share of the Coliseum complex property to the Athletics Investment Group, LLC, a.k.a. Oakland Athletics.

The Oakland Athletics, is owned by Republican billionaire John J. Fisher, who is allegedly worth $2.5 billion. Reportedly, the Oakland Athletics are claiming that they need the Coliseum complex to raise money for the new proposed A’s ballpark at Howard Terminal, downtown Oakland.

According to the lawsuit, the County of Alameda and its Board of Supervisors failed to make an effort to either comply with the procedures of the Surplus Land Act or even ensure its public lands will be used to fulfill the statutory aims of the act.

When the County of Alameda entered into a binding agreement for the sale and transfer of the property (publicly owned land) to the Athletics Investment Group, LLC, in violation of the Surplus Land Act’s strict requirements, the City of Oakland’s opportunity to explore whether the property could be developed for affordable housing, continued recreational uses or other public good would be extinguished. The Act requires that a local agency proposing to dispose of surplus land must negotiate in good faith for a period of not less than 90 days. Allegedly, the County failed to do so, and did not comply with this mandate.

Oakland is in desperate need of more public housing and affordable housing because of its housing crisis, and homeless crisis in the city. However, reportedly Mayor Libby Schaaf, who is in the pocket of developers, realtors, and Airbnb, is opposed to the lawsuit and was shocked, totally shocked that the lawsuit occurred right before an A’s ball game that is scheduled for tomorrow for their first game in the playoffs. Mayor Libby Schaaf cares more about those poor multi-millionaire ball players, than she does about the poor folks being forced out of Oakland due to the on-going gentrification taking place in Oakland.

The A’s and multi-billionaire John J. Fisher plan to stick it to the Oakland tax payers for millions of dollars in expenses to cover the infrastructure cost’s with SB 293, for the proposed ballpark scheme at Howard Terminal. Reportedly, “The Port of Oakland’s Howard Terminal is being targeted by the A’s for a proposed project that would include a new ballpark to replace RingCentral Coliseum. In addition to a new ballpark, the concept for Howard Terminal calls for new mixed-use development to be constructed at the site, including housing units, retail, office space, open space, and more. It has been expected that the ballpark and development would be privately financed as part of this plan, though it could call for the City of Oakland to finance infrastructure improvements that would support the project.”

The Lawsuit Appears To Be A Ruse:

The lawsuit appears to be little more than a ruse meant to help cover the backs of the Oakland City Council and Alameda County Board of Supervisors who support the schemes of John J. Fisher, and the Athletics Investment Group, LLC, as they take Oakland tax payers for a ride.

On September 27, 2019, reportedly Oakland City Council member Rebecca Kaplan and her associates released a vision for the Oakland Coliseum area that includes affordable housing.

However, confusing the matter regarding the lawsuit, on her Twitter account earlier today, Rebecca Kaplan tweeted, “The A’s have already expressed agreement with doing affordable housing on the site as part of what they would intend to propose (Along with other things as well). So there is no conflict between the site including affordable housing and the A’s involvement.” It also appears that Kaplan is saying that if they issue public notices for the Coliseum before the property is sold that “the future of the project won’t be clouded by accusations of failing to follow the Surplus Lands Act.”

The dock workers of ILWU Local 10 at the Howard Terminal (Port of Oakland) oppose the A’s plan to build a ballpark stadium there because the project will displace many great middle class jobs at the waterfront, and does not guarantee a better life style for the citizens of Oakland.

Indeed, billionaire John J. Fisher’s plan to build a stadium at Howard Terminal will result in the loss of many present and future middle class jobs, and will result in higher priced housing and condominiums that most Oaklanders cannot afford. Despite all their promises, the A’s and multi-billionaire John Fisher have never built any affordable housing near the Coliseum, or anywhere in the Bay Area. The Oakland City Council sold out Oaklanders by voting to support the A’s stadium plan for Howard Terminal.

Click below for the ILWU Local 10 and West Oakland Community Meeting Speak Out On John Fisher’s A’s Stadium, from the Labor Video Project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeokFkvs114

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com

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