A's fans fear losing 3rd Oakland team, say 'we'd be the laughing stock of the nation'
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- An Oakland City Council meeting Tuesday could factor into the Oakland Athletics decision to stay in Oakland, or move the team to another city.
The Athletics want a new waterfront ballpark at Howard Terminal in Oakland, but they have been unable to come to an agreement with the city and the county on some of the funding for that plan.
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"I would be really sad if they go," says A's fan Mike Sepehr, who has been coming to A's game with his dad since he was 9-years-old.
Tuesday, Oakland councilmembers will cast nonbinding votes for a proposed $12 billion development and ballpark plan. Some believe there is still a long way to go.
"To use a baseball analogy, I think we're at the 7th inning stretch with whatever decision comes tomorrow," says former Athletics executive Andy Dolich.
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A's president Dave Kaval has said the team isn't interested in the current Coliseum site and would like to build on the water at Howard Terminal.
"I hope they vote on our proposal or a slightly modified version, which we've been trying to negotiate behind the scenes, but that's not set yet and it's something we're just going to have see how it plays out between now and tomorrow. It's a really critical moment for the franchise and baseball in Oakland," says Kaval.
Former A's player and Oakland native Bip Roberts says the council and the team need to come to an agreement here, for the city's sake.
"We just can't afford to lose another franchise! You know we would be the laughing stock of the nation. You had the A's, you had the Raiders, and now you have nothing," says Roberts.
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Dolich says he doesn't like what he's recently heard from current Athletics higher-ups about the possibility of the team moving to Las Vegas.
"When you say there are 20 spectacular locations in southern Nevada, not to take anything away from southern Nevada, and there's no other locations, no plan B other than Howard Terminal? That's just 100 percent illogical and not factual," says Dolich.
Fans we spoke with at Monday night's ballgame say it's painful to see this back and forth.
"It hurts my heart deeply, I was here in high school when the Raiders left, I was here when they came back, and envisioning Oakland without a sports team is not even something I can imagine," says A's fan Rhonda Morris.
Tuesday's city council meeting on this will start at 9 a.m. It's unclear how long it will go, but there will be a time for public comment.
