Tag: Howard Terminal

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Oakland Mayor hoping to sway owners vote with A’s resolution; Schools over Stadiums to appeal Judge’s ruling

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Howard Terminal rendering. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, City Council, and the Port put on a presentation on Tuesday that City Hall hopes to sway some of the MLB owners to vote no on an A’s relocation (Rendering of Howard Terminal from the Oakland Athletics)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, among the Mayor and the City Council goals in adopting a resolution at City Hall. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the City Council are showed the infrastructure of Howard Terminal, the benefits of having a park at the Terminal and something on the drawing board that might change the MLB owners vote. After today’s meeting do you see owner changing they’re minds and giving the A’s a chance to build at Howard Terminal?

#2 Amaury, the odds are starting to dim and Mayor Thao is hoping for a ninth inning rally to stay in the hunt to persuade the owners vote. Thao says that the city does have a plan and budget to build at Howard Terminal but the A’s walked away. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said Oakland had no deal hence Manfred and the A’s are ready to open for business in Las Vegas.

#3 Nevada District Judge James Todd Russell ruled in favor of Oakland A’s lobbyists Danny Thompson and Thomas Morely who took Schools over Stadiums to Monday’s court hearing in District court to throw out Schools over Stadiums attempt to put a referendum on the Nov 2024 ballot to stop public funding for a Las Vegas A’s ballpark and that funds should be used to support schools.

#4 Judge Russell said that Schools over Stadiums would have to refile their petition and that Schools over Stadiums would need to use the full text of SB1 or appeal the case to a higher court.

#5 Thompson and Morely didn’t respond to media inquiries for comments. Schools over Stadiums spokesman Alexander Marks made it clear that they will appeal saying the decision was disappointing but not uncommon adding that Schools over Stadiums plans to refile the referendum and that there is plenty of time to refile as the signature deadline is June of 2024.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead radio voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network on 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: Former A’s executive Andy Dolich says MLB owners should reject A’s relocation; Mayor, Oakland City Council, and Port of Oakland call for press conference Tuesday

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Former Oakland Tribune columnist Dave Newhouse (top) and former Oakland A’s executive Andy Dolich (below) in photo promoting their book “Goodbye Oakland.” Dolich wrote a recent San Jose Mercury News column asking MLB owners to vote no on relocating the A’s at the MLB owners vote on Nov 14-16. (photo from Books Inc.)

On the A’s relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Former Oakland A’s executive Andy Dolich wrote his own commentary in the Mercury News telling MLB owners to vote no on the A’s move to Las Vegas and keep them in the sixth largest market in Oakland and go back and finish negotiating with the Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the city of Oakland.

#2 Dolich said that MLB owners would be making a huge mistake if they were to leave the sixth largest TV market for the smallest and that every possible effort should be made to keep the A’s in Oakland where they belong.

#3 Dolich was an A’s executive under the Haas family between 1980-1994. Dolich and the A’s won three American League Championships getting in the World Series in 1989-1990 and won one of those World Series in 1989 against the San Francisco Giants. Dolich says the A’s can win in Oakland and team owner John Fisher just won’t spend the money to do it and the owners should not vote for the relocation.

#4 Dolich said that the A’s attendance is not because the A’s are the worst team in baseball but because it’s self inflicted as a mechanism to turn their customers off and the A’s can point to poor attendance for wanting to get out of Oakland.

#5 Dolich also wrote that he’s in favor of keeping the A’s at the Oakland Coliseum location and build the Coliseum complex to professional sports. Build a state of the art ball park for the A’s, a stadium to lure an NFL team. Have retail, hotels, and restaurants to lure customers that can change the Coliseum, neighborhood and bring more fans to East Oakland.

#6 The problem with all of these scenarios is that A’s owner John Fisher is not selling. If the deal does fall through or the owners do vote no will he go back to the City of Oakland with hat in hand and try all over again to get a ball park built at Howard Terminal?

#7 Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, the Oakland City Council, and the Port of Oakland are holding a press conference on Tue Nov 7 at Oakland City Hall regarding a proposal to keep the A’s in Oakland. Although a deal and a plan is already worked out to relocate the A’s upon the MLB owner vote Nov 14-16th in Arlington. The City of Oakland could use litigation to stop MLB and the Oakland A’s from relocating the team if the City can get a deal to build a Howard Terminal ballpark and show they can produce financing to keep the team in Oakland.

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s still have not submitted a design for Tropicana ballpark in Vegas

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The Tropicana Hotel and Resort the future home of the Las Vegas Athletics. The A’s have not submitted a design, have not addressed the retractable roof or dome, or submitted where the team will play between 2025-27 (photo by Nevada Independent Journal)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Oakland City officials have indicated that they are not impressed with the job the Oakland A’s, or the Tropicana at Bally’s in Las Vegas is doing. The A’s have not submitted a design for the ballpark, the A’s have not said whether the park will be domed or have a retractable roof.

#2 The cost of the ballpark is $1.5 billion on a 35 acre lot and the A’s need to present a design by the beginning of January. The MLB owners will be taking a vote in mid November to approve the A’s relocation but must have the renderings in hand before that time.

#3 The issue of where the A’s intend to play between 2025-2027 still has not been decided. They have a lease with the Oakland Coliseum through the 2024 season. The A’s need to submit where they plan to play before submitting the relocation application to the MLB three man committee.

#4 With the lease expiring in 2024 and needing to submit the relocation application by mid November the A’s are still seeking locations where they will play for the remaining three years while the Tropicana is being built. Suggestions have been three minor league parks, Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, Greater Nevada Field in Reno, Las Vegas Park home of the Las Vegas Aviators, and Oracle Park home of the San Francisco Giants. Many think staying at the Oakland Coliseum is the most practical place for the A’s until their new park is built.

#5 A’s team president David Kaval said that the Tropicana location is quintessential, it’s right on the strip, i has people, cars, and eyeballs. Kaval added in many ways the Tropicana has the best location because it’s one of the busiest intersections in the world.

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

Oakland named as one of two expansion sites once A’s leave for Vegas in 2028

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Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao addresses the media during a Wed Feb 15, 2023 press conference at Oakland City Hall. Mayor Thao has said the City of Oakland would consider extending the A’s lease through the 2027 season if the city would retain the A’s name and the city gets an expansion team. (AP photo file)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez and Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–You might recall Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said that if Oakland A’s are looking for extending they’re lease between 2025-27 before moving to Las Vegas the city of Oakland wants assurance of an MLB expansion team. According to USA Today reports two high officials in MLB said that Oakland and Nashville have been named as the top two cities for expansion.

The A’s ballpark is expected to be completed at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip by 2028. The A’s are committed to play at the Oakland Coliseum through the 2024 season. Then after 2024 where do the A’s play? Several sites have been suggested Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Aviators park, Reno, and San Francisco.

Mayor Thao said as long as Oakland is assured an expansion team when the A’s leave in 2028 the city would grant the A’s an extension to play at the Coliseum for an additional three more years until they pack up and leave for Sin City.

With the two high ranking officials saying Oakland is on the list for expansion Thao will most likely extend the A’s lease through the 2027 season. The officials who were not named said the city of Oakland needs to secure an owner who will build a new ballpark most likely at the Howard Terminal location. Mayor Thao would most likely need to identify an owner who will build the new ballpark and take charge of the expansion team to make it happen.

Thao had said that the city in part of extending the Oakland Coliseum lease for the A’s would retain the Oakland A’s name and brand. A’s owner John Fisher had said that the A’s will not relinquish the name when they move to Vegas and intends to keep the A’s brand.

It was also mentioned in the report that the city and the A’s were close to a deal in before the A’s announced they were leaving for Vegas. Thao had said the city and A’s were ten percent of the way to finalizing a deal but the A’s broke off negotiations and said they had a binding deal with the Rio in Las Vegas. The deal at the Rio was later broke off and now the A’s are trying to build at the Tropicana location which the A’s are waiting for MLB owners approval a vote that is expected to take place in December.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network and Jerry Feitelberg is an Oakland A’s reporter at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: Schools over Stadiums needs funding to get petitions signed in Nevada

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Former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan and Port of Oakland Commissioner Michael Colbruno spoke at a fundraiser on Aug 26, 2023 to support Schools over Stadium Nevada initiative to stop use of public funds for an A’s new ballpark in Las Vegas and put funding for use towards schools and education (@MikeOpera photo)

On the A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, Dawn Etcheverry, a music teacher and President of NSEA and Schools Over Stadiums in Nevada is moving on a petition referendum to stop the use of public funding tax dollars that would be used to build a ballpark at the Tropicana hotel and casino that was approved by the Nevada State Legislation in June in a special session.

#2 Etcheverry said the petition is pursuing every path possible to stop the use of public funding to pay for the Tropicana Park for a future Las Vegas A’s relocation. Etcheverry said that the Nevada voters were shutout in the process and didn’t have a say in the use of public funds for paying for the ballpark to the tune of $380 million.

#3 The organization Schools over Stadiums goal is to make sure public funding goes to public schools and not the Tropicana Park and once enough signatures are on the petitions from four the Nevada districts including Clark County which Las Vegas and Tropicana hotel are a part of the measure to stop using public money will be put on the ballot.

#4 If Nevadans vote to stop the use of public funds to build the Tropicana ball park succeeds the funding for the ballpark ceases and the A’s will have to seek private funding if they want to continue pursuing Las Vegas. They possibly could go back to the City of Oakland and negotiate terms about building at Howard Terminal.

#5 If everything goes as planned Schools over Stadiums will have the vote in November 2024, one year and two months from now. The MLB owners are voting on the A’s relocation in December. If the owners vote yes to relocate the A’s, the Schools over Stadiums measure could hold up shovels in the ground at the Tropicana until the voters have their say in Nov 2024.

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

Oakland A’s report: Schools over Stadiums files petition to get initiative on ballot to stop public funding for A’s Vegas ballpark

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Rendering of the Las Vegas Tropicana Hotel and Casino ballpark. If successful the ballpark is expected to be completed by 2028 upon the approval vote of MLB owners in Dec 2023. Schools over Stadiums is attempting to put a measure on the ballot stopping public funding of the Vegas ballpark that vote could take place in Nov 2024. (rendering from the Oakland A’s)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Schools over Stadium a group who is working with the Nevada State Education Association filed a referendum petition to get a measure on the ballot that would prevent public funds to pay for a new A’s ballpark at the Tropicana hotel and casino on the Las Vegas strip.

Dawn Etcheverry who is president of the NSEA and Schools over Stadiums and is a music teacher said that the organization is committed to pursue every possible path to stop the use of public funds to subsidize a new ballpark for owner John Fisher and the Oakland A’s.

Etcheverry raised the point that the people of Nevada did not have a say in the process during the Nevada State Legislature special session on public funds use for the ballpark. Etcheverry said that the priorities to use public funding for a stadium over schools and education in the state are misguided and that Nevada is 48th in the state on education should be priority for public funding rather than spending those funds on the Tropicana ballpark.

Etcheverry stated that the funds should go to Nevadans who depend on that money to go to public schools rather than the ballpark. Etcheverry pointed out that the 82nd Legislative session overlooked the overcrowding in classrooms in the state of Nevada, the lack of teachers, and the state has ignored streams of incomes for schools and public education.

If there are enough signatures on the petitions from the four Nevada districts which includes Clark County where the A’s plan to build at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip. The measure will be placed on the ballot and if the voters say no to public spending for the A’s new ballpark the A’s move to Las Vegas could be dead unless Fisher can find $380 million in private money for the Vegas ballpark.

Jerry Feitelberg is an Oakland A’s reporter for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O: Phils manager tossed for clock reset issues; Twins Polanco back on IL for hamstring injury; plus more

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On the MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Philadelphia Phillies manager Ron Thompson was ejected after plate umpire Roberto Ortiz refused to reset the pitch clock after Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola requested a new baseball. Ortiz had threw out several baseballs and requested new ones and Ortiz felt that he had reached his quota of disposed baseballs. Thompson came out to argue that Ortiz should have reset the clock back from 10 seconds to 20 seconds with a runner on base in the sixth inning. Crew Chief Bill Miller got most of Thompson’s heat after ejecting Thompson, while Nola was facing the Los Angeles Dodgers David Peralta. Thompson questioned how Ortiz knew for sure that Nola was trying to stall for time by throwing out baseballs.

#2 The Minnesota Twins second baseman Jorge Polanco is back on the ten day IL due to a left hamstring. Polanco returned to the line up on June 1st from being out with the left hamstring injury. Polanco is hitting .250, with five home runs, 16 RBIs in 30 games.

#3 Los Angles Dodgers pitcher Shelby Miller was place on bereavement leave on Saturday. Miller 32, 1-0 ERA 2.57 and has relieved in 24 games for the Dodgers. Friday night Miller pitched two innings striking out three in two innings of work.

#4 The Oakland A’s for the first time have a won four straight games. The A’s who have baseball’s worst record at 16-50 and are 26.5 games in last place in the AL West. The A’s took two of the last three games in Pittsburgh and the first two games of a three game series in Milwaukee. Is it possible that they might have turned a page or too early to tell?

#5 Charlie lastly, the saga of the $380 million tax credits that the Oakland A’s are seeking from the state of Nevada and Clark County continues as the Nevada Assembly adjourned Thursday and will return on Monday to vote on whether or not to approve the bonds. If the bonds are not approved the A’s will have to find another deal to work out possibly with the City of Oakland and Mayor Sheng Thao who has a deal from the previous Howard Terminal bargaining session. If the Nevada Legislature approves the stadium bonds the Nevada State Assembly must approve the measure before Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo signs off on the deal.

Join Charlie O for the MLB podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s will need serious game plan taking on Dusty and the Astros Friday night; Nevada lawmakers-A’s apart by $200 million

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Bally’s Casino-Hotel resort is a site that the Oakland A’s have their eye on for a new ballpark which is planned to be completed by 2027. The A’s and the State of Nevada legislature are some $200 million apart from the $395 million tax credits needed to build the new ballpark on the Vegas Strip. (file photo from Fortune Magazine)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 The Oakland A’s (10-36) open a three game series against the Houston Astros (25-19) on Friday night at Minute Maid Field. The Astros are in second place in the AL West and the A’s have a huge job in front of them if their going to beat Astros manager Dusty Baker and the Astros.

#2 Former Houston Astro Justin Verlander who now wears a New York Mets uniform heard it from the Mets fans when he took his first loss for New York. Needless to say the Mets fans expectations are win now or they will make you pay.

#3 Daniel, With the Astros having a different starting rotation from last season does and are in second place in the AL West and the A’s with a long, long, climb to catch them their best aim is to just go out and have a good series against Houston.

#4 Daniel, the Nevada Independent reported that the Nevada legislation and A’s are some $200 million apart for the tax credits needed to build at the Tropicana site in Las Vegas. The A’s need $395 million and the Nevada legislature are willing to part with $195 million in tax credits for the ballpark. The clock is ticking as both sides need to come to an agreement on the financing by June 4th.

#5 Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said that her door is still open on Howard Terminal if the A’s and the Nevada lawmakers can’t come to a financial agreement on the Tropicana siteThao stated today (Thursday) with ABC 7. Thao would resume negotiations on Howard Terminal. Sources have said that the City of Oakland and the A’s were 90% of the way to finalizing the deal on Howard Terminal until the A’s announced they had a binding agreement with the Wild Wild West site in Las Vegas back in mid April which is now off the table.

Daniel Dullum is the Oakland A’s analyst Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB podcast with Charlie O: A’s Howard Terminal chances improve as Appeals Court approve environmental report

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A look at Howard Terminal in downtown Oakland the site of the proposed Oakland A’s ballpark which would seat some 35,000 fans. The park would come with retail stores, residential units, commercial space, hotel rooms and public access open space. (photo by Noah Berger and the San Francisco Chronicle 2018)

On the MLB podcast with Charlie O:

#1 This week the First District Court of Appeals ruled that the Oakland A’s Howard Terminal project met sufficient standards in a City of Oakland review that said the A’s have met limits to water and pollution requirement at the downtown Jack London Square site as ruled by Judge Brad Seligman.

#2 The issue of off shore winds that wind hazards needs to be reduced as it effects the ball park according to the court ruling. The council voted with Judge Seligman 3-0 on the wind measure. The A’s and Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao are working on a plan to reduce the wind hazards.

#3 The outcome of the Court of Appeals ruling sits favorably for the A’s and can be considered a big step towards building a new ball park at Howard Terminal. The Court rejected the claims by the plaintiffs saying that the A’s did not meet the standards on air quality, pollution controls, and traffic in regards to environmental standards. This is a similar type ruling that helped the NBA Sacramento Kings move in the direction to build Golden 1 Center.

#4 Mayor Thao who is on board with the project and said the city intends to upgrade the infrastructure and that the city and the A’s are one step closer to getting the project done after two previous court rulings in their favor. Further Thao plans to meet with the A’s regarding some of the other sticking points namely affordable housing and the court expects the A’s to get the wind hazards worked out.

#5 Charlie, we know San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer as in past discussions is opposed to the A’s moving to San Jose as the Giants claim that is their territory which put a huge road block in the way for the A’s to build in the South Bay. Fast forward how ironic would it be if the Howard Terminal project was approved and was able to move forward and front the Port of Oakland that could clearly be seen across the bay at Oracle Park?

Charlie O does the MLB podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s get a double whammy loss on Howard Terminal with no federal funding and Supreme Court appeals loss on hazard materials push on recycling plant

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The Oakland A’s attempts to make Schnitzer Steel an environmental hazardous liability failed when the State Supreme Court ruled that Schnitzer is treating it’s recyclables with water and cement that satisfies their landfill dumping. Could this be a show stopper for the A’s Howard Terminal project? (photo of Howard Terminal by the Port of Oakland)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–This week was a double loss for the Oakland A’s they were turned down for federal funding as ruled by the state Supreme Court as they lost a lawsuit to classify recycling company Schnitzer as a hazardous waste recycler and wanted to get them classified as such.

Last Tuesday a spokesperson for the City of Oakland said that federal funding for the Oakland A’s were denied funds that would help the Oakland A’s Howard Terminal project in the amount of $182 million. The A’s will not receive any of the monies from the federal Transportation Department’s Megaprojects.

According to the Oakland Department of Transportation director Fred Kelly the city will continue to explore other avenues in trying to secure funding sources. Kelly said that he and the city will look for sources that will help finance and get the project off the ground. The A’s goal is not only a new ball park at Howard Terminal but also development for 3,000 residential units, commercial space, retail, an indoor performance center, 400 hotel rooms, and public space.

The City of Oakland has secured government grants amounting $321.5 million that would help pay for the infrastructure. The $321.5 million is still short as the city sought funding, $55 million for regional grants, $25 million for other federal grants, and $60 million in state grants.

The City is also seeking a limited obligation bond for $150 million. Kelly’s efforts in seeking another $182 million is crucial for the funding of the project and Kelly will have to find what government agency who will be willing to kick in.

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said is committed to keeping the A’s in Oakland and said during her inauguration that she wants to keep the A’s rooted in Oakland and wants to protect Oakland’s values. Sheng did say that she hopes the A’s and the city can reach an agreement that safeguards the tax payer and the city.

With the federal department of transportation turning down the A’s for the $182 million the A’s lost a Supreme court appeal decision on Wednesday that would reclassify car recycling company Schnitzer who are located next to Howard Terminal as a hazardous materials outfit that are a environmental threat which deposits hazardous materials in landfills. Schnitzer recycles unused and junked automobiles.

The state department of Toxic Substances Control said that the mix of recyclables of scrap metal, plastics, lead, cadmium, copper, and zinc has been made safely for landfill deposit as the recycler mixes the material with cement and water which acts a cover over soil in landfill. The A’s argue that materials mixed next to the ball park and Howard Terminal project is a environmental threat being next door.

The First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco found that the recycled material is not a threat and did not contaminate air or water and does not threaten humans. The Department of Toxic Substances Control reviewed the study and said that the recycled materials in the landfill that was treated with the water and cement did not bear any threat to people near the plant or landfill.

The A’s main goal to building the project is to move Schnitzer out of Howard Terminal but Schnitzer whose been at the Howard Terminal location for decades does not want the A’s at the location likewise. Schnitzer with cargo operators, port workers, and truckers have filed lawsuits saying their businesses are not an environmental threat. Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brad Seligman ruled on lawsuits back in September saying safety measures are in use and that the work that Schnitzer does doesn’t contribute to air pollution.

The state of Nevada’s newly elected governor Joe Lombardo has not made it clear where he stands on using state public funds to bring the A’s to Las Vegas. Previous governor Steve Sisolak said he would not use public funds for the A’s ballpark but would consider using other avenues to fund the project. Sisolak was voted out of office and Lombardo has been quiet about funding the A’s stadium project.

Lombardo who has been more focused on other political issues like abortion, immigration and catalytic converter thefts. If Lombardo follows Sisolak’s method of using other ways to find money to pay for a new ballpark that could put the A’s funding in play. The A’s have been silent on any commitments on moving to Las Vegas as both scenarios for staying in Oakland and moving to Las Vegas are not quite clear.

The A’s have spent plenty of money on lawyers to move to Howard Terminal already. The A’s most likely location to move to in Las Vegas is at the Tropicana hotel and casino site on the strip but that might have to be done with private money. The A’s will be playing in Las Vegas’ minor league ballpark of their affiliate the Aviators March 4th and 5th and will evaluate the crowds for that weekend and where they go from there.