A proposed deal for the sale of the A's could "impair
prospects" for a Raiders return to Oakland and "possibly rile"
the Warriors, according to a report in this morning's SAN
FRANCISCO EXAMINER. The Oakland City Council, Alameda County
Supervisors and Oakland Coliseum directors met Tuesday to discuss
the possible sale of the A's to Bay Area developers Steven Schott
and Kenneth Hoffman. Although there were no comments on the
deal, a source close to the negotiations said "language proposed
in the new lease pretty much ends the effort to get the Raiders
back" to Oakland because Schott and Hoffman are looking "at a
stadium predominately, if not wholly, oriented towards baseball."
The deal would include selling 20-year bonds that will be sold to
remodel the Coliseum for baseball. The prospective owners are
also asking for 10% of whatever revenue the Coliseum receives
from selling the naming rights to the stadium. The source told
the EXAMINER that such a deal is "kind of unusual," and if the
city gives 10% to Schott and Hoffman, they would have to do the
same for new Warriors Owner Christopher Cohan (Eric Brazil, S.F.
EXAMINER, 1/25).
