Apparently Mark Davis and the Oakland Raiders have gotten what they wanted from the city of Oakland: a feasible plan for a new stadium.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan proposed a new plan that would give the Raiders free land, and put the taxpayers on the hook to pay off $120 million that is still owed for the overhaul of the Oakland-Alameda County (O.co) Colisuem. The new stadium itself, tentative known as Coliseum City, is expected to cost between $900 million -$1.2 billion, but that is expected to be paid out of revenue from the venture.
Davis, the Raiders owner, had made it clear that he did not want to renew the lease contract at the O.co Coliseum after the 2014 season was over. He threatened to move the team to San Antonio or Los Angeles, if a deal with Oakland could not be reached.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell proposed leasing Levi's Stadium, the new home of the San Francisco 49ers, until some other kind of arrangement could be made, but Davis was not comfortable with that idea.
Although many in Oakland are optimistic, some high ranking officials are not so sure, especially since they are all waiting for Davis to approve the deal.
"I am still skeptical about the whole Coliseum City deal and if it's going to materialize," Supervisor Nate Miley, chairman of the city-county Coliseum Authority, which operates the complex told the Chron. But he said he's keeping an open mind.
Oakland City Councilman Larry Reid, another member of the Coliseum Authority, said the proposal for the city and county to pay off the debt on the old Coliseum took him by surprise. "I have asked that the (Coliseum City) item be scheduled for closed session for an update at our next (council) meeting," he said.
The Oakland Athletics just renewed thier lease at O.co Coliseum for 10 more years, and no word has been given on where they are suppose to play, or whether they will continue to share a venue with the Raiders. O.co Coliseum is slated for demolition if the new plan goes forward.
