Elephant Rumblings: Howard Terminal ballpark project gets more good press

Happy Friday, Athletics Nation! Daniel is taking a day off, but he’ll be back in action soon.

The Oakland A’s took yesterday off while traveling south for a weekend series against the Angels, beginning tonight. In the meantime, the news cycle took a brief turn back toward the stadium saga.

On Wednesday, the proposed Howard Terminal ballpark project got a conceptual endorsement from the Greenbelt Alliance, a local non-profit whose mission is “to educate, advocate, and collaborate to ensure the Bay Area’s lands and communities are resilient to a changing climate.”

The Greenbelt Alliance’s statement praises several aspects of the Howard Terminal project, including the construction of new affordable housing and its “contribution to climate resilience” among other things, and hails it as an example for other cities to follow.

However, the project isn’t quite agreed to yet by the team and city, which is why this endorsement is conceptual, notes Casey Pratt of ABC7. The sides still must come to final terms before the Greenbelt Alliance “[makes] a total conclusion,” says Pratt.

Oakland Port Commissioner Michael Colbruno offered the following summary of the Greenbelt Alliance’s statement in a tweet Thursday:

“Key takeaways: Provides needed homes for region that reduce climate-related impacts/increase resilience, reduces traffic impacts and related pollution, new ferry service, access to existing transit, 18 acres new waterfront open space/parks, protected from the risk of wildfires.”

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf gave support as usual:

“The waterfront project is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that will change the destiny of our city. #Housing #LowEmissions #WalkableNeighborhoods #PublicAccessOnTheWaterfront”

Some more info.

Next up for Howard Terminal is a June 2 hearing by the San Francisco Bay Conservation & Development Commission (BCDC) on whether to remove the area’s designation for port activities, followed by their June 30 vote on the matter, which is cautiously hoped to go well.

A’s Coverage:

• Hall: Checking in with some former A’s in 2022
• Gallegos: Blackburn bounces back to become a top starter
• Rodriguez: Kotsay’s pros, cons of managing A’s in social media age
• Kroner: Was Stephen Vogt’s booth stint a hint about the future for the A’s catcher?
• Lockard: A’s prospect Jared Koenig nearing the big leagues after a baseball odyssey that spanned two continents ($)

MLB News & Interest:

• Shaikin: Commentary: After nine years, endless delays and a corruption probe, what’s next for Angel Stadium? ($)
• Franco (via Helfand): Chris Paddack undergoes Tommy John surgery
• Franco (via Heyman): Joe Panik retires
• Today in Baseball History

Best of Twitter:

BoMel is back from prostate surgery!

Scherzer will miss some time

Former A’s prospect finally makes the majors at age 29. Congrats!

Lightning round with the Skip!