By ReTypo Garcia
(OAKLAND, Calif.) The ongoing battle between Oakland city leaders and executives from the A’s organization continued Wednesday after Mayor Libby Schaaf addressed the preliminary agreement for the Howard Terminal project, KRON4 reports.
The preliminary plan, which the Oakland City Council approved following a vote on Tuesday is a non-binding financial plan that Oakland A’s President Dave Kaval said won’t work for the team.
Tuesday’s vote passed after six city council members approved the plan with the goal of keeping the A’s rooted in Oakland as the A’s organization continues to explore the possibility of relocating to another market.
One of “the primary sticking points,” Mayor Schaaf explained, is an agreement on what community benefits the A’s would be willing to support such as funding affordable housing in the area.
“The city is going to stand firm on community benefits,” Schaaf said.
Included in the tentative agreement is the allotment of 450 affordable housing units out of a total of 3,000 that will be a part of the overall project.
While the vote on the agreement keeps both the Oakland city council and the A’s at the negotiating table, Kaval on Tuesday said, “is not a business partnership that works for us.”
Schaaf says she’s optimistic, noting that the city doesn’t wish to repeat the outcome of the tumultuous NFL Raiders deal that resulted in the football team moving to Las Vegas.
“We are absolutely ready the second the A’s are,” Schaaf said.