City Council will once again take up the proposed move by the Oakland A’s to San Jose today and express its support for team owner Lew Wolff’s efforts on behalf of the move. Unlike other meetings about the move, however, this one is geared more for public consumption. Also on the table will be the eight “negotiating principles” for the new stadium. These are:
1. No new taxes for ballpark-related expenditures.
2. Ballpark development must generate a significant economic benefit to the City and have a positive impact on City General Fund revenues.
3. No public funds may be spent to finance or reimburse any costs associated with construction of the ballpark or any onsite infrastructure needed for the ballpark.
4. No public funds may be spent to finance any operational or maintenance costs relating to the team.
5. No public funds may be spent to finance traffic control, street cleanup, emergency or security services within the ballpark site or within the streets surrounding the ballpark for activities related to the ballpark.
6. If the ballpark is leased by the team, at the end of the lease, the team must either purchase it at market value, transfer ownership to the City or Redevelopment Agency, or demolish improvements to the site and clear them so that it can be redeveloped.
7. The group that owns or rents the ballpark must make it available to the city for at least ten days during the off-season.
8. The name of the team using the ballpark must include “San Jose.”
Given the fact that San Jose A’s has too many long a sounds in it, could we soon be deciding on a new name for the team?
Read More at KLIV.
Read More at NewBallpark.org.