Oakland

City Council Debating Future Home of Oakland A's, 10-Year Coliseum Lease Not Yet Approved

It appears the future of the Oakland A's may not be as clear as it was thought to be last week, as a closed city council meeting has council members pitted against each other as to whether or not they should approve a 10-year lease deal to keep the team in Oakland.

Mayor Jean Quan offered no comment Monday afternoon, as she prepared to discuss the future of the A's.

But Oakland Vice Mayor Larry Reid did not seem optimistic about the A's staying in Oakland.

"I don't think the city has any leverage," he said.

Despite concerns the deal does not do enough for Oakland, Reid insisted negotiations should be over. But some on the city council insist the deal cannot be approved without changes.

"You know the mayor wants to continue to negotiate, where Mr. Wolff says, 'I'm 100% negotiated out,'" Reid said. "You don't think that's a good combination? Uh, no."

Reid cited an email from A's owner Lew Wolff insisting he was done talking, and if the council does not approve the 10-year Coliseum lease on the table they "will immediately be allowed to seek a temporary or permanent location outside of the city of Oakland."

"I certainly hope that we don't give ourselves another self-inflicted black eye," Reid said.

As discussions continued, expert sports economist Andrew Zimbalist tells said he would not call the A's warning an empty threat.

"What they could do is make a short-term arrangement to share AT&T Park with the Giants, and you know that could go on for a couple years until they found an alternative stadium situation," he said.

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