Fresh opposition arises to the Fremont stadium site
by athletics68 on Dec 9, 2008 11:07 PM PST
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http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11181633
With the EIR done in SJ at the downtown site already and half the land already purchased the only real issues in SJ are the territorial rights (something Selig can "fix" in a heartbeat) and financing, which has become an issue at both Fremont sites already due to the economy.
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I just read this, too!
Holy shit! If Selig were to remove the TR’s from the Giants and allow the A’s to move to San Jose, that would be absolutely incredible! No offense to my east bay brothers and sisters but…..I have been making the trek to Oaktown from San Jose ever since 1980 and San Jose sounds a hell of alot better than Fremont…..I mean if they can’t stay in Oakland, that is.
Wow, it’s been like a soap opera with the Fremont location since day 1.
You know, I wouldn't HATE having the park in San Jose
While it would be quite a commute from the East Bay, I wouldn’t mind it. It’s too bad hockey season isn’t the same as baseball, or else I could catch an A’s day game and then see the Sharks demolish whoever, cuz let’s face it, the’yre unstoppable…
Doesn't hockey season end in June now?
It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver
by WaddellCanseco on Dec 10, 2008 3:52 AM PST up reply actions
Not for the Sharks
… ok, that probably hit a sore spot. Hey, if you think the baseball playoffs are a crapshoot, check out the NHL. You could be the best team in the NHL by 10 games and I still wouldn’t give you more than a 15% chance of winning it all going into the playoffs.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
Exactly
I don’t like hockey playoffs, simply because of the way it usually shakes out…seldom are the two best teams in the finals.
Officially awaiting the 2009 season.
by One won lost won on Dec 10, 2008 9:42 PM PST up reply actions
Let's be fair
Financing is a problem at any site whether it’s in Fremont, San Jose, Oakland, or Timbuktu. Cisco, whose corporate real estate guy spoke tonight in favor of Pacific Commons, is the wild card here. Could their contribution increase or decrease based on where Cisco Field is located? Probably.
Quoting myself yet again:
How difficult is this? The NIMBYs want the project as far away from them as possible, at the expense of environmental and transit concerns. Some business owners and transit advocates want the ballpark at Warm Springs, but had little to say about the NIMBY issues. Meanwhile, there are supporters out there who want either Pacific Commons or Warm Springs or don’t care either way. And that, my friends, is why ballot box planning is so problematic. People tend to look only at their own interests. They have every right to do so, but that doesn’t make them good planners.
Indeed
All 3 sites do have financing issues, but what SJ lacks is the intensive EIR and environmental issues that Pacific Commons has, and the very valid NIMBY concerns that Warm Springs has. Frankly Warm Springs NIMBYs while seeming the typical lot have very valid concerns. They’re less than a 1/4 mile from the proposed stadium site in a middle class residential neighborhood. A very nice one at that. They’re not the kind of neighbors one would expect to have next to a ballpark. Frankly I’m surprised it took until tonight for this to become an issue, and frankly I think it’s one that’s already killed Warm Springs. Those residents will never let that ballpark be built, nor should they. It’s not a fit with that particular area of Fremont even with the BART access. Pacific Commons is still Fremont’s best bet.
by athletics68 on Dec 10, 2008 12:30 AM PST up reply actions
"Not In My Back Yard"
or in this case, the people who hold that opinion.
"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL
What oblique said
NIMBYs are usually one of the biggest opposition points to stadiums.
by athletics68 on Dec 10, 2008 10:52 AM PST up reply actions
and as 68 said
You can’t really blame them. A massive public venue radically changes the area around it and if you’re Joe Normal with 2.5 kids and a dog, they aren’t positive developments. That’s the problem with NIMBYs – they seem selfish and annoying if you’re not one of them, but when you’re in the red zone everything changes.
i seem to remember reading
a while back that Selig was looking to punish the Giants for having the only player who took steroids ever ever ever, and thus would welcome an opportunity to piss them off by taking away some territory rights?
i’m not saying i approve of this behaviour (or Selig at all, frankly), but it might work in the A’s favour?
BB should send scouts to watch cricket players.
by alea iacta est on Dec 10, 2008 11:29 AM PST reply actions
what would have been sweeter ...
… if Selig had yoinked the Giants’ territorial rights 3 years ago at the height of public outrage, and the A’s had broken ground on the new stadium—and then signed Bonds when MLB colluded to blackball him the invisible hand of the marketplace denied the greatest practitioner of a particular skillset gainful employ at what he does best.
I'll send you a postcard from Space Mountain. @('.')@
NIMBYs will be part of any and every site...
…it’s just factored into the process as Standard Operating Procedure these days.
"If I've got baggage, he's got a whole set of Louis Vuitton." ~ Milton Bradley on Barry Bonds
True
But depending on who the NIMBYs are they’re either listened to, or ignored. Catellus and the Warm Springs neighborhood seem much more powerful NIMBYs than those that might exist in downtown SJ.
i'd be quite happy to have a ballpark in my backyard
though it’d be pretty small.
on the plus side, A’s would probably develop more power
BB should send scouts to watch cricket players.
by alea iacta est on Dec 10, 2008 3:05 PM PST up reply actions
me too
check this one out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6×5q6_0Vxng
by Brian in 317 on Dec 10, 2008 3:55 PM PST up reply actions
I still say move to Sac...
I still think the Sac area is where to go.
Move the River Cats to play in the North Bay.
In the day’s of the Western Baseball League the (Sonoma County Crushers) leas the league in attendance year after year. Both transplant A’s and Giants fans in the North Bay went. I know Sonoma State would like a partner to go in on a new stadium. They want to be able to host college div.1 playoff games….ie: revenue. The old Rohnert Park stadium where the Angels old Redwood Pioneers team (A) will not do.
This way the triple AAA team is still close for emergency call ups.
The Rivercats continue to lead the PCL in attendance year after year. The only pro team in town for Sac. sports fans to support are the Kings.
My two cents
I still see land and potential in Sac. for the A’s!!!!!!!!!!!!
what we don't see is
lots of big corporations headquartered nearby. Which is where the money is today in baseball – sponsorships, luxury boxes, etc. In baseball every team is on their own (as opposed to the NFL, NBA, where there is a great deal of revenue pooling – and before we start in on MLB revenue sharing, consider that the Yankees can comfortably run a $200m payroll and still make a fat profit, whereas if the A’s turn in all their recycling and eliminate hot lunches can squeeze out $80m) so they need those corporate dollars to make money. There’s no use in them going through all the hullabaloo of getting a new stadium and tying themselves to Sacramento for the next 20 years to get essentially the same deal they’re getting in Oakland (if they’re lucky).
exactly
no corporate HQ’s in sacramento. smaller population than SJ metro area and lower per capita income. would get same revenue there along with big mortgage to pay on the park.
Cust is the new Jaha.
by johnjahafanclub on Dec 10, 2008 6:06 PM PST up reply actions
The Kings are also at the bottom of the league in attendance ...
and Sacramento Metro would be among the smallest in MLB … bigger than Milwaukee, though!
"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback
Well when SJ sits there as a viable alternative
It’s hard to justify moving the A’s anywhere but SJ or it’s satellite Fremont.
by athletics68 on Dec 14, 2008 11:02 AM PST up reply actions
Not quite
The Sonoma County Crushers didn’t lead the Western Baseball League in attendance in any season of its existence. The Tri-City Posse led the WBL in attendance the first two years and once the Chico Heat joined the league in 1997, they led in attendance every year until it folded.
It’s difficult for small town college teams to share share a ballpark with a full season minor league team. There are too many scheduling conflicts. It’s much eaiser to do with short season leagues that start as the college season ends (such as the Northwest League and the Western Baseball League). After the WBL folded, the Visalia Oaks tried to move to Chico but they couldn’t work out a schedule that was compatible with Chico State’s schedule.
Root for the Giants? Not even if they're playing al-Qaeda!
I was at the meeting.
Most people at the meeting were opposed to the A’s moving to Fremont. But that mainly came from residents near Warm Springs. Some of their complaints were not very logical.
“Look at all the crime in Oakland, if the A’s come here, we will have all that crime!” WHAT!
Some thug in Oakland is going to drive 20 miles to commit crime?
haha
I live in Fremont and personally don’t see any problem with it. There is plenty of land over in the Pacific Commons area and there aren’t even that many residents in that area compared to the rest of fremont.
People who don’t like baseball just try and hate on everyone else’s parade :-(
not to be racist or anything…
but i’m sure if daiskue was on the A’s everyone in Fremont would be in love with the idea….
by supermarc589 on Dec 14, 2008 6:58 PM PST up reply actions
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