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Oakland A’s take another step toward new waterfront stadium

By Kevin Henry

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 08: A detail shot of the secondary logo on Tony Kemp #5 of the Oakland Athletics jersey prior to the game against the Texas Rangers at RingCentral Coliseum on August 08, 2021 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ben Green/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 08: A detail shot of the secondary logo on Tony Kemp #5 of the Oakland Athletics jersey prior to the game against the Texas Rangers at RingCentral Coliseum on August 08, 2021 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ben Green/Getty Images) /
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With an eventual goal of trying to keep the Oakland A’s in Oakland, the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been released for the waterfront ballpark district at Howard Terminal, near the Port of Oakland.

Dave Kaval, president of the Oakland A’s, called the release a “huge milestone” on Twitter.

Here is what Friday’s Environmental Impact Report release means in the necessary steps to keep the Oakland A’s in Oakland

"“Releasing the final Environmental Impact Report is a major milestone on our path to build a new waterfront ballpark district that will create up to 18 acres of beautiful public parks, more affordable housing, and good jobs for Oaklanders,” Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a statement. “The 3,500-page document is thorough and exhaustive, and it ensures that the project is environmentally safe and sustainable. The completion of the EIR also keeps us on track to bring the project for a final vote to the City Council in 2022 — and brings us one step closer to keeping our beloved A’s rooted in Oakland.”"

Included within the A’s proposal (that would take up about 55 acres in the Jack London Square area) is not only a new stadium (with capacity set for 35,000 fans), but also residential units, office building and mixed retail space, seaport compatibility measures, and more. You can read more about it here.

Reported next steps are that City of Oakland officials will recommend to the Oakland Planning Commission that it certify the report, and then send it to the Oakland City Council for its approval. From there, the Planning Commission will take up that recommendation during a public hearing on January 19 and, upon receiving a recommendation from the Planning Commission, the City Council could receive and approve the report in February.

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Kaval has said that, as he did in his tweet above, for his team to stay in Oakland, “it’s Howard Terminal or Bust,” implying that if a new stadium isn’t built in that location, the A’s could well be playing in the Las Vegas area or another location in the near future. The A’s have been playing in Oakland since 1968 and their lease at the current stadium runs through 2024. It’s estimated that the new Howard Terminal location would not be ready until 2027.

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