Oakland Expected to Reject A's Coliseum Extension: Report

New, cheaper lease for A's isn't yet approved by city officials.

Oakland city officials are standing firm against a new lease agreement between the Oakland Athletics and the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, saying that it's too favorable to the baseball club, the Oakland Tribune reported.

City officials did not attend a meeting last Friday where the lease could have been approved, and look likely to reject the lease Thursday.

The new lease would cut the A's rent by about 20 percent, and would also see the team being able to vacate the agreement early for an exit fee of $7.75 million.

The lease also stipulates that the team will engage in "good faith discussions" with city leaders on a new ballpark, the newspaper reported.

City Council President Larry Reid says a different, "much better lease agreement" will be presented.

Reid, who is vice chair of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Joint Powers Authority, said the City Council voted in closed session Tuesday to direct the city's four members on the eight-member board to vote against the lease proposal that is supported by Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, who chairs the board.

Miley called a special meeting of the JPA last Friday but there wasn't a quorum because Oakland's four members didn't attend.

Miley called another special meeting for 8:30 a.m. Thursday. Reid said he and the city's other three representatives would show up but would all vote no, so he expected the lease proposal to deadlock in a 4-4 vote.
 

Bay City News contributed to this report.

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