OAKLAND Athletics have been edging closer to joining the Oakland Raiders, their once-neighbors, and securing a move to Las Vegas.
The MLB team’s relocation push comes after numerous failed attempts to build a new ballpark in the San Francisco Bay Area — with one of the biggest projects falling through 18 years ago.
The Oakland Athletics revealed new ballpark plans in 2005 with the arena, located across the street from the aging Coliseum, supposed to fit 35,000 spectatorsCredit: Oakland A’s
The ballpark would feature one of the biggest scoreboards in the major leagues and a built-in hotel or an apartment building with thousands of residential unitsCredit: Oakland A’s
The A’s reportedly saw at least eight attempts to build a new ballpark fail before the franchise began Las Vegas relocation talksCredit: 2023 Getty Images
In 2005, then-A’s owner Lew Wolff revealed plans to construct a new home for his team just north of the iconic Coliseum.
It would consist of a two-tiered stadium with a capacity of 35,000 and one of the largest scoreboards in the major leagues.
The development would also feature a shopping plaza, a new subway station, and even a built-in hotel in one of the outfield walls — or an apartment building with thousands of residential units.
“The Oakland Athletics don’t just want to build a new ballpark, they want to build an entire neighborhood,” The East Bay Times wrote at a time.
The sports complex would be located across the road from the Coliseum, stretching from 66th Avenue all the way to High Street — on a land of about 100 acres.
The ballpark itself was estimated to cost between $300-$400 million, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.
It was expected to be built mostly with private funds, though.
However, the project’s success hinged on getting more than 30 business owners occupying the land to sell their properties and relocate.
“We are not here to ask you to bully people out of their property,” Wolff said in 2005.
“Maybe there are some people who are community-orientated and who would step back and support this.”
In the end, the A’s and Oakland politicians failed to strike an agreement with the landowners and the development plans fell through.
Currently, the area is home to businesses ranging from coffee wholesalers to auto parts and plumbing supply stores — and even features a flea market.
The A’s saw at least eight different ballpark construction projects fail before they began Las Vegas relocation talks, NBC Bay Area reported this year.
The franchise has reportedly purchased and secured public funding for a new $1.5 billion arena along the famous Strip, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
MLB owners are expected to vote on the team’s relocation in mid-November.
