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Agenda Item

3 OPEN FORUM / CITIZEN COMMENTS (Time Available: 15 Minutes)

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    Jack Salvador about 5 years ago

    I have lived in Oakland since 1993, and it is a shame that the City is losing all it's professional sport teams. I would like the City Council to drop this lawsuit and work with the A's. The team has been a good corporate citizen to the City, offer affordable seating, and providing a great way for families and friends to gather in public. Their new stadium would benefit the City,and help keep City pride alive. Do not be the Council that is remembered for losing all of Oakland's sporting teams.

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    Edgar Legarreta about 5 years ago

    I support the Oakland Athletics staying Rooted In Oakland. I first saw the A’s play at the Coliseum as a little boy visiting from Mexico back in 1990. I fell in love with the stadium and this team ever since. To this day, I make sure to attend about 10 games a year and bring my parents, brothers, friends, and now my kids and wife not just to the Coliseum. It’s the only times we come to Oakland. Last year I had the opportunity thanks to the A’s to visit and enjoy the culture at Jack London Square for their Fan Fest. If it wasn’t for them I honestly don’t come to Oakland at all. It is my hope you drop this suit and let the team stay so the City keeps something to be proud off and gives people another reason to embrace what hit has to offer. Let the fans come to games at Howard Terminal and make more memories with their friends and families at Jack London Square. Go A’s, lets go Oakland!!!

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    Deborah Lopez about 5 years ago

    I am an Oakland resident, and I support the Oakland A’s efforts to build a new stadium. Moreover, I believe the current proposal is one that should be supported. Please drop this lawsuit.

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    Sebastian CrumpackerBrock about 5 years ago

    Keep the A's in Oakland or I will leave.

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    Christine Bradbury about 5 years ago

    As an Oakland resident for 35 years I support keeping the A’s in Oakland. They have affordable prices, do a lot of community service and keep Oakland on the map in a good way. Please don’t let them go the way of the Raiders and the Warriors. Keep the A’s in Oakland! I pay more than my fair share of property taxes and have stuck it out a long time in Oakland. Please do this and give me a reason to stay! Go A’s! Go Oakland!

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    Matthew Kerns about 5 years ago

    City Council members—I implore you to drop the lawsuit blocking the sale of the Coliseum site to the A's. As a registered and active Oakland voter, this is an issue I care deeply about. I believe in their proposal for the site and I am passionate about making it possible for the A's to build a stadium at Howard Terminal.

    I think the proposal for the current Coliseum site benefits Oakland residents. While it supports building the Howard Terminal stadium, it also provides significant benefit to the surrounding community while providing space for new companies, bringing attractive jobs and an economic jolt to the area.

    The A's bring my family together. Growing up near downtown Oakland, we gathered every night from April-September (and sometimes October!) to watch a team that brought us joy and built pride in our city. When I think of Oakland, I think of the A's. They are another member of my family.

    Keeping the A's is keeping the heart of Oakland. My vote depends on it.

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    Tracy Telder about 5 years ago

    Dear council members,

    I’ve been in Oakland resident for the last 22 years. I have come to love the A’s and the warriors to a disturbing degree. I’m even sad to see the Raiders go… Sort of. I know you’ve heard this argument probably many times. The A’s are the last team that we have and I support them 100%. It seems to me that the A’s are working hard at making Oakland’ a better place for us. I feel that they have a social conscience and see the potential that Oakland’ has. Council members, Please work with them to get an A’s stadium built! One that we can be proud of. As a long time voter, tax payer and lover of Oakland i’m banking on the fact that the a’s stay here in a new stadium.

    Sincerely,
    Tracy Telder

    Sent from my iPhone

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    Nicholas Falls about 5 years ago

    As a native, a current resident of District 3, and a voter, I urge the City Council to drop the Coliseum site lawsuit, and engage in negotiations with the A's and the county. As of now, the perception around town is that every entity involved in this process, including the citizens, are on board with these projects. Every entity, except the Oakland City Council that is. If the worst case scenario happens, and the A's deem the political situation in Oakland to be untenable, that perception will remain, and it will be amplified. This is a green & golden opportunity.  If we squander this, it will be a tragedy.

    Sincerely,

    Nicholas Falls.
    Oakland, CA.

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    Ryan Mesick about 5 years ago

    The Warriors are gone and taxpayers are shamefully on the hook for their debt. The Raiders too.

    Yet, the Oakland A's, one of the elite MLB franchises in the history of the sport, spoiled with world championships and hall of famers, who have proudly called Oakland home for over 50 years, WANT TO STAY.

    Imagine what this would do not only the A's, but for the City of Oakland. There are endless examples of how new stadiums across this country have positively impacted their city, team, and surrounding businesses. Not to mention the civic pride and positive image it would provide. Yet, for some reason, you seem to be stubbing your toes while looking a gift horse in the mouth.

    The City of Oakland has such a proud history full of a diverse cast of talented people. Yet, despite all of the things Oakland is great at, where ever I go in this world, rocking my A's hat, the stereotype of a corrupt political machine sprinkled with SF special interests remains.
    YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO CHANGE THAT.

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    Ross Almazan about 5 years ago

    Dear Oakland City Council, please do the right thing and drop the lawsuit against the county (Oakland A's). The A's under the current leadership, have shown nothing but commitment to the city and it's communities. In spite of your lawsuit, they have demonstrated this further by upping the ante on their vision for the Coliseum (which includes affordable housing and more community benefits, 'doubling' their investment with an offer to the city as well and commits them to STAY in Oakland...Howard Terminal or otherwise). This is it....do the right thing and sit down and negotiate sans lawsuit. A lawsuit at this juncture is counterproductive and flies in the face of the City Council saying they support the A's while being committed to keeping them (our last team) in Oakland....DO THE RIGHT THING!

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    Alex Danoff about 5 years ago

    I encourage the city council to drop the lawsuit against Alameda County and the Oakland A's. The A's have come to the table in good faith to propose a development for the Coliseum property that includes a large number of community benefits for East Oakland and the local community. The city council owes it to the team and to citizens of Oakland to repay that by negotiating in good faith behind closed doors rather than litigating or negotiating through the press. Get the Coliseum and Howard Terminal projects done, full stop.

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    Garry Singer about 5 years ago

    Dear City Council Members,

    Please drop the lawsuit against the A’s and allow them to buy the share of the Coliseum land and continue to work on building a new stadium at Howard Terminal. The A’s are the last team left in Oakland, and I believe one of the only professional sports teams I’ve seen trying to build a new stadium the “right way” (privately financed). A lot of Oakland residents are watching what you do very closely, and your actions will also affect you come re-election time. Let’s get this done!

    Thank You,

    Garry Singer

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    Sal Ferraro about 5 years ago

    To whom it may concern, I urge the Oakland City Council to drop this lawsuit immediately against Alameda County. I have never seen an organization like the A's make so many efforts to PRIVATELY FINANCE a sports facilities. They've met with MANY groups, provided a robust community benefits package including affordable housing that is desperately needed, and are generally working towards a project that benefits the entire Bay area in multiple ways. It is embarrassing how the City Council chose to proceed, without even warning the County or A's. Please drop this frivolous lawsuit and work with the County and team towards a mutually beneficial conclusion instead of grandstanding.

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    Page McGill about 5 years ago

    Dear Oakland City Council: Please drop this lawsuit against Alameda County. Please allow the Oakland Athletics to continue the process to build a new stadium. The Athletics want to help the city by building affordable housing, taking the coliseum site debt off of your hands, and bring economic stimulus to woefully neglected areas of the city. Please don’t allow the last professional sports team in Oakland to feel their only alternative is to leave. Think about the jobs and economic revenue lost. Think about the possibility of a vibrant, thriving waterfront and coliseum area lost. The A’s are worth supporting and the Bay Area loves them as witnessed in the last wild card game here. Please drop the lawsuit and let them build! Thank you.

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    Miguel LaRosa about 5 years ago

    Oakland, Having NEVER making an offer to Alameda County for purchase of Coliseum property... Can only show City does not have resources, $85,000,000 to purchase from County. But will cost City A's, to hide fact of overspending of Coliseum Redevelopment Funds for things such as use of room at Fruitvale Transit Village from 2023~2057. @ $2,500,000.00.... Sell that property to A's. Retire the 1995~7 Coliseum Bonds. Free the Public. If we can see this... So can the Portland A's. This Council is working on the hat trick, "Losing 3 major sports franchises in 5 Years".

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    Nick Codling about 5 years ago

    Hello Oakland City Council, I respectively urge your team to work with the Oakland Athletics to make this vision a reality. Oakland Athletics are very important to the community and they are bringing jobs, tourism, affordable housing, along with many other great things to the community. Thanks for your time.
    Best, Nick

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    Steven Lydon about 5 years ago

    I support the Oakland A's! As should everyone on the council and in the mayors office. Years of inactivity and ineffectiveness has left a situation where there is only one team left and, luckily, they want to be at the negotiating table. Not waiting on a last ditch lawsuit to block a sale that was agreed upon after the council couldn't get anything done.

    This is the one team that has repeatedly declared they are Rooted in Oakland and as an Access Member and homeowner in Jack London Square, I would be ashamed of the city council if through its action, and inaction, pushed away the most historically successful franchise in Bay Area sports.