Tag: David Kaval

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Is the Halo Stadium rendering better than the Sydney Opera House rendering?

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Who did have the better rendering the A’s “Halo” model or the “Sydney Opera House” model? Either way the A’s seemed determined more than ever to get started on the project. (renderings from the Oakland A’s)

On the A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 How surprised were you when you first saw the A’s renderings for their Tropicana ballpark in Las Vegas?

#2 Some have said the first rendering makes more sense than the second rendering a look a like to the Sydney Opera House.

#3 Still whatever design the A’s decide on the question is still being asked how John Fisher A’s owner is going to pay for his share of the construction costs.

#4 The Tropicana is going to implode the towers at the hotel and casino next month as they will stop taking reservations in early April. If this Fisher continues to struggle finding the money to pay for his half of the construction costs and work had already begun on the Tropicana what will the Tropicana do and will Fisher have no choice but to go back to Oakland?

#5 Jerry, with the new renderings out how much momentum does this give Schools over Stadiums in terms of their argument to stop public funding for the ballpark due to Nevada is 48th in the country on getting state funds for education, Nevada has the largest class size in the nation, the highest rate of educator vacancy in the USA.

Join Jerry for the A’s podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: A’s unveil Tropicana Park renderings; They look like Sydney Opera House

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s ballpark rendering at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino. The rendering some say reminds them of the Sydney Opera or Canada Place in Vancouver as presented by A’s president David Kaval in Las Vegas (renderings from the Oakland A’s web page)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, Oakland A’s team president David Kaval said the A’s will be unveiling the new renderings for the Tropicana Park before this Friday’s game at Las Vegas Ballpark.

#2 If these are just artist renderings this doesn’t solve the questions about how the park’s dimensions look like. What the public wants to look at are the actual blue prints done by an architect.

#3 Amaury, are these going to be the renderings that should have been presented in the first place? Will they be blueprints done by an architect that will answer a lot of questions that the public had been looking for? If they are just artists renderings the A’s will still be at square one.

#4 The other question is the funding and it was talked about once again. Will A’s owner John Fisher come up with his share of the funding at $1.5 billion. If he can’t get a loan say from a Goldman Sachs and can’t find minority partners would he have no other choice but to come back to Oakland?

#5 Amaury, talk about the significance of the A’s hosting the two spring training games at Las Vegas Ballpark this Friday and Saturday and what message this says to both the fans in Oakland and in Las Vegas in hosting these games.

Amuary Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland Athleticos Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s Prez Kaval says renderings should be ready by Mar 8th

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s team president David Kaval said that the A’s Las Vegas ballpark renderings will be ready before the A’s two game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Fri Mar 8, 2024 at Las Vegas Ballpark in Las Vegas ( file photo from Oakland A’s)

On the A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Oakland A’s team president David Kaval said this week that renderings for the A’s Las Vegas ballpark should be ready by Mar 8th and 9th when the A’s play the Milwaukee Brewers at Las Vegas Ballpark.

#2 The two games at the A’s triple A ballpark in Summerlin the opportunity for Kaval to show off the new renderings and answer some daunting questions about when does he think the park will be ready in conjunction with A’s interim plans for 2025-27.

#3 Kaval and the A’s are moving forward with construction plans for the Vegas ballpark but Schools over Stadiums whose in appeal court working on the language for a petition that put an initiative on the Nov 2024 ballot that would stop the public financing for the park.

#4 Daniel out of the 35 acre block at the Tropicana Hotel only nine acres will be devoted to the A’s and the A’s will be limited to the nine acres with a fix roof. Kaval is pushing hard to get the blue prints finalized and says there almost ready.

#5 A’s owner John Fisher is having trouble finding a place for the A’s to play in 2025-27 until the Las Vegas ballpark is ready. Kaval did say that the A’s renderings will be presented at the two Las Vegas pre season games.

Daniel Dullum does the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Manfred is certain Vegas deal for A’s is a sure thing

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred addresses the news media at spring training Tampa Bay Fl Thu Feb 15, 2024 at the Grapefruit League (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 Major League Commissioner Rob Manfred said that if there was any doubt about the Oakland A’s going to Las Vegas Manfred wanted to assure everybody that the move is “solid” in spite of A’s owner John Fisher who has not come up with his share of the construction costs for his share of the Las Vegas ballpark.

#2 Manfred also wants the A’s to decide where there going to play in the interim for 2025-27. Manfred would like the A’s to decide to play in one location and not move say from Portland to Salt Lake City or even Oracle Park in San Francisco for example.

#3 As you may recall A’s president David Kaval said talks with the Oakland Coliseum will continue as it was reported their first meeting two weeks ago went well. Manfred who doesn’t have the best relationship with Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao might have to come back and have talks with Thao and work out something to get the A’s some place to play for the next three seasons after 2024.

#4 The Las Vegas stadium idea has run into it’s share of problems, there are no renderings, there is no funding plan from Fisher, Schools over Stadiums is appealing language for their petition drive in the Nevada Court of Appeals once up and running they need over 100,000 signatures to place an initiative on the November ballot to block the A’s public funding for the ballpark and the Nevada State Education Association has filed a $380 million lawsuit against the State of Nevada to block public funding of the park.

#5 After Fisher got a luke warm reception when he was introduced to a paid crowd in Las Vegas sponsored by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said that the A’s would be better off in Oakland with a waterfront ballpark. Manfred said Las Vegas is solid and that Goodman was the first person to talk Manfred about getting a baseball team in Vegas.

Join Jerry for the Oakland A’s podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Fans Fest Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar at Jack London Square podcast with Stephen Ruderman

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Crowds turned out and filled almost every corner of the Fans Fest hosted by the Last Dive Bar and the Oakland 68’s at Jack London Square in downtown Oakland in support of finding a way to keep the Oakland A’s in Oakland (#AsFanByDesign photo)

Fans Fest Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar at Jack London Square podcast with Stephen Ruderman:

#1 Because of the lack of renderings and a financial plan from John Fisher and the A’s there has been doubt if the Las Vegas ballpark project could get off the ground or how long it would be delayed?

#2 MLB Players Union Chief Tony Clark said this week he’s concerned about the players future and where they’ll play beyond 2024 if the A’s do not decide on a interim location soon.

#3 A’s team president David Kaval said the A’s have three options for an interim location Sacramento, Salt Lake City, or Oakland. They should decide soon do you see the A’s walking away from the $70 million annual TV money and choosing to play in a minor league park?

#4 How realistic do you see it that Fisher whose looking for minority owners to help pay for the Vegas construction to happen? If nothing is decided by the middle of the year the costs of building the park and schedule to have it ready could be pushed back to 2029?

#5 Fisher may not have the money to go on with the Vegas project. What are the chances do you see him possibly going back to the City of Oakland and negotiating with Oakland Mayor Thao?

Stephen Ruderman is a MLB beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Can A’s get past City of Oakland’s expansion demands for Coliseum use? The MLB clock is ticking

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Major League Players Players Association Chief Tony Clark met with Oakland A’s players on Tue Feb 20, 2024 at Hohokam Park in Mesa AZ to discuss their interim Stadium situation for 2025. As players were concerned where they’ll end up. Some players may not opt to play in a minor league park if that’s where the A’s end up playing for the interim. (AP file photo)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, this week in Mesa AZ the A’s spring training facility A’s team president David Kaval said that there are three options available for 2025 Sacramento, Oakland or Salt Lake City. It was reported that Sacramento was the top contender of the three but an A’s source said that the A’s never said anything of the kind and the team is still trying to decide which venue they’ll choose after this season.

#2 To this date it’s still a mystery where the A’s will play for the 2025 season that’s an issue considering baseball wants to get that resolved as they want to have a schedule ready by July.

#3 Representatives from the Major League Baseball Players Union showed up at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa with Union Chief Tony Clark on Tuesday and the players had questions but Clark may not have had much on answers. The fact of the matter still remains the players if it came to a vote and it could will not elect to play in a minor league park.

#4 Not only do the A’s still have their interim location dates open for 2025 but as of today there has been no indication of when renderings and funding plans will be presented. Las Vegas MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle said he was shown three different designs for the next door Tropicana ballpark. Hornbuckle said in an Nevada Independent interview that he would like to start construction at the MGM and wanted to get the pedestrian bridge to the Tropicana ballpark situated and he needs to be on schedule for budget and construction purposes soon.

#5 Pressure is on concerning deadlines not only with the 2025 baseball schedule for July but also when the A’s have a location figured out for 2025 and how travel and budgets can be figured out. Daniel the City of Oakland and the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority asking for a guarantee from MLB that Oakland will get an expansion team before they can play their interim games at the Coliseum. How big of an ask is that? And do you see things getting worked out between all three parties?

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Co-owner Billy Beane encouraging Fisher to continue talks with Coliseum Joint Authority for lease extension; plus more A’s news

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s senior advisor to the managing partner Billy Beane (left) and A’s general manager David Forst (right) are seen here standing in the A’s dugout on Aug 28, 2020 at the Oakland Coliseum. Beane has recently advised according to reports owner John Fisher that the Oakland Coliseum would be the best place for the A’s interim years 2025-27 before moving to Las Vegas (AP file photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 Oakland A’s minority owner Billy Beane reportedly from Front Office Sports is encouraging owner John Fisher to continue talks with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority for a lease extension. Beane is also a senior advisor to Fisher.

#2 There had been talks that the A’s had the home of the Sacramento Rivercats and the San Francisco Giants minor league triple A team’s ballpark Sutter Health in West Sacramento that would house the A’s home games but some sources within the A’s organization said they didn’t know where those rumors came from and that Sacramento was not named by the A’s as the first choice for an interim site after the 2024 season.

#3 The Las Vegas Review Journal reported also that the A’s are trying to stay at the Oakland Coliseum as an interim site. A’s president David Kaval said this week that the A’s have narrowed their choices to three sites Sacramento, Salt Lake City and Oakland. Kaval is at the A’s spring training site in Mesa AZ. Talk has it that Oakland is the most logical choice because of the TV money they would get from NBC Sports California at some $70 million a year something they would not get in Salt Lake City or Sacramento.

#4 Kaval said that there is already a broadcast distribution now with the Sacramento Kings, San Jose Sharks, and A’s with NBC Sports California and that make Sacramento in the running. Still the players union would still have to sign off on playing in a minor league facility and three years at a minor league park might be an issue with the union.

#5 Kaval said he wants to be thoughtful and work with the league and that talks last Thursday went well and he had a positive feel. Kaval said the A’s are keeping their options open until they identify where they’ll play in the interim. It’s the hope of most fans and employees of the A’s that they would choose the Oakland Coliseum in the interim before moving to Las Vegas.

Jerry Feitelberg does the Oakland A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast Augie Mesenburg: Sacramento is A’s first choice for 2025 season; City of Oakland wants guarantee of expansion team

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s team president David Kaval has met with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Powers regarding a lease extension beyond 2024. The A’s could play the remaining three years at the Coliseum 2025-27 before the Tropicana ballpark is ready in Las Vegas (photo by ABC Sky7 still photo)

On the Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Augie:

#1 The Oakland A’s brass met with the Oakland Coliseum Joynt Powers. Seeing that players’ union most likely will not sign off to play in a minor league ballpark and most importantly the A’s don’t want to miss out on that $67 million annual television money from NBC Bay Area Sports California contract.

#2 There has been no disclosure to how much a year and how long the A’s will be staying at the Coliseum as the new park in Las Vegas is supposed to be ready by 2028. It’s sounding like it might be the three years 2025-27 to finish up in Oakland similar to what the Raiders did before they left Oakland for Las Vegas.

#3 Some are asking could this lead to something being worked out with the Mayor of Oakland and the City of Oakland for a chance that the A’s brass could re-visit Howard Terminal again? It doesn’t seem likely on the surface but there are two law suits coming from Strong Public Schools and Schools over Stadiums that will challenge the Nevada public funding of the Tropicana ballpark and the A’s might be looking at a back up plan.

#4 Augie, the A’s try hard as they may have not nailed down a location to play their games after 2024. A’s owner John Fisher and team president David Kaval have looked at numerous sites Las Vegas Ballpark (home of the A’s minor league triple A team), Sutter Health Park (home of the Sacramento Rivercats), Salt Lake City (home of the minor league Bees), and Oracle Park in San Francisco. All of the parks didn’t work out either it was a minor league park or at Oracle Park they would have to share it with the Giants and the Giants were concerned about the turf being torn up. The latest from Thursday’s news is Sacramento’s Sutter Health Ballpark is a front runner for the A’s in 2025.

#5 This might be more than just a kick the tires meeting to see if it’s worth to come back to the Coliseum after 2024 the A’s who were rumored at one point considering just shutting down operations between 2025-28 have not much choice and no where to go but the Coliseum until the new park in Vegas is ready that is if the Vegas ballpark can withstand the lawsuits by Schools over Stadiums and Strong Public Schools in Las Vegas.

Augie Mesenburg filled in for Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s relocation podcasts heard Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com. Augie is also a reporter for KHAI FM 104.5 and AM 950 Honolulu.

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: $48 million due on Coliseum digs won’t stop A’s from moving to Vegas

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s owner John Fisher seen here addressing the news media on Thu Nov 16, 2023 at the MLB Owners vote in Arlington TX. Fisher will have to come up with $48 million payment for his half of owning the Oakland Coliseum Complex property in May 2024. (AP News photo)

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 Daniel, Alameda County who owns the other half of the Oakland Coliseum property are prepared to ask for part of the $85 million that is owed by Oakland A’s owner John Fisher who owns the other half. A contractual agreement saying if they A’s announce that they would leave Oakland which was last April. Within those 180 days after that announcement the $48 million of their half would come due. Alameda County Councilperson Donna Ziegler will make that call in May 2024 as Council vice president David Haubert said the clock started ticking on Nov 16th the day the MLB owners voted to move the A’s from Oakland.

#2 The ask by Alameda County won’t stop Fisher from moving to Las Vegas but it will free up the county from Fisher owning the other half so they could develop at the valuable property.

#3 At the time of he purchase of half the Coliseum A’s president David Kavel sent a letter the Alameda County Council in 2019 stating that they wanted to purchase half the property at the Coliseum in the event the deal at Howard Terminal failed but instead the team vied to relocate. The A’s have not said what they will do with the property now that they are leaving Oakland, but Alameda County will most likely will ask for the $45 million in May.

#4 It’s also been speculated that Fisher will hold onto his half of the Coliseum until the new Tropicana ballpark in Las Vegas is in fact under construction and shovels are indeed in the ground. Also does Fisher have an extra $45 million that will be due in May 2024?

#5 In early September the African American Sports and Entertainment Group asked the Oakland A’s if they could buy their half of the Coliseum the A’s declined. In hindsight Haubert said there should have been clear conditions in the contract saying to the A’s “you either stay in Oakland, at Howard Terminal or the Coliseum, or else the deal’s off.”

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s relocation podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Commissioner says there wasn’t a viable path to stay in Oakland

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

In what should have been a happy moment for Oakland A’s owner John Fisher (pictured) and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in announcing unanimous vote to relocate the A’s to Vegas during the whole press conference from Thu Nov 16, 2023 they both looked uncomfortable and were apologetic about to Oakland fans at at times looking guilty (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said there was not a viable path to stay in Oakland even though it was Oakland A’s owner John Fisher and Manfred’s to remain in the Bay Area.

#2 Daniel, did you find it strange after all the criticism that the Tropicana ballpark got nationwide, that you didn’t hear anyone outside of MLB ownership or the Commissioner’s office say this was a great idea. You have to ask what was the motivating factor for the owners to vote 30-0 to approve the A’s relocation?

#3 A’s president David Kaval said after the vote last week when asked if Fisher is ready to pay his share of the new Las Vegas ballpark. Kaval said that debt and equity would come from the stadium funding legislation.

#4 Kaval also said that the A’s could play their 2025-2027 seasons either at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Las Vegas Ballpark, or at the Oakland Coliseum. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao the A’s could finish at the Coliseum but they would have to give up their team name and colors and the city would be promised a MLB expansion team.

#5 One motivating factor is Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo saying that Las Vegas is a sports town and having the A’s are an added addition for the Vegas sports scene.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com