The A's have "quietly slapped" the city of Oakland and
Alameda County with a $48M claim over the renovation of the
Coliseum, according to Matier & Ross of the S.F. CHRONICLE.
The claim, sent yesterday to lawyers for the city and
county, includes 23 demands and "comes at a time when the
team's future in Oakland is already in question" following
"unsuccessful talks" between team and stadium execs. Among
the demands are $12M for "lost ticket sales allegedly
caused" by the elimination of bleacher seats, $12M in "lost
'club seat' revenues," $9.5M for "lost ticket, food and
merchandising sales" from diamond-level seats that were not
built after disputes between the team and contractors, and
$5M for "lost 'general attendance'" during the '96 season,
which the A's claim was caused by constant renovation. A's
execs were unavailable for comment, and Matier & Ross write
the case is "certain to fuel speculation about the team's
future" in Oakland. Under their lease, the A's have until
July 1 to "extend their stay" until 2004 or "exercise a
year-to-year clause," which would allow them to "sell or
move the team within two years" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/22).
