Raiders Stadium Plan Wins Non-binding Approval from Oakland, Alameda County

OAKLAND, CA — The Oakland City Council on Tuesday night joined the Alameda County Board of Supervisors in approving a non-binding term sheet for a $1.3 billion stadium plan to keep the Oakland Raiders football team from moving out of the city.

The City Council voted 7-0-1, with Councilmember Abel Guillen abstaining, for a funding plan that would include $400 million in private money from an investment group headed by former Raider and San Francisco 49er Ronnie Lott and $200 million in infrastructure money from the city.

The Raiders and the National Football League would also contribute a combined $500 million under the plan, which involves a stadium, offices and a hotel at the Coliseum complex, but neither entity has expressed support for the proposal so far.

The Raiders are looking into moving to Las Vegas, where there is a plan to build a $1.9 million stadium, which would be financed in part by $750 million in hotel tax revenue approved by the state of Nevada. NFL owners
could vote on that plan as soon as next month.

Some councilmembers said the proposal from Oakland and Alameda County would boost jobs and economic development locally.

Sporting a Raiders shirt, Councilman Noel Gallo said the plan is "an opportunity to grow Oakland" and "a responsible action."

However, other councilmembers expressed concern over the possible use of public funds on the project, although all ended up voting in favor of it except Abel Guillen, who abstained.

Guillen noted there is still outstanding debt on the current Oakland Coliseum and added that he was worried about the uncertain fiscal future of the city when President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

"There are too many unknowns for me to get comfortable moving forward with this proposal," he said.
Earlier Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors voted 3-1-1 in favor of the plan.

Board of Supervisors President Scott Haggerty said, "Let's go to the next step of the exclusive negotiating agreement and the disposition and development agreement and see where we wind up. We're not committing tax dollars."

Supervisor Keith Carson, who cast the lone vote against the plan, said he's concerned that the project could divert money from the county's core functions, including providing important services to needy people.

Supervisor Wilma Chan, who abstained, said the community has been very loyal to the Raiders but she doesn't know if the team wants to stay.

— Bay City News; Image via Wikimedia Commons

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