A's Plans Panned By Santa Clara Exec Before Key Meeting

A proposal to help build a new ballpark for the A's in Santa Clara with an $82M municipal loan "could threaten the city's financial credit and stability," according to a city report cited by Bill Workman of the S.F. CHRONICLE, who wrote the "warning comes on the eve of a key meeting" between the Santa Clara city council and A's co-Owner Steve Schott. The city manager's report also "doubted" the $262M ballpark cost estimate by the Santa Clara Stadium Association, and suggested the cost "could balloon" to $320M by the time the stadium is built in '05 (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/21). In San Jose, Banducci & Witt wrote the report was a "devastating analysis" of the ballpark proposal, as it noted that cost estimates were "unrealistic" and that the financing plan not "well-thought through." Santa Clara City Manager Jennifer Sparacino: "This proposal is sketchy, but what we can see in it, I think poses a risk to our general fund." Santa Clara Stadium Association member Gary Hansen, whose group is trying to bring the A's to Santa Clara, said that he has not seen the analysis, but "expected it to be negative." Hansen added that the group "will offer an amended presentation" at tomorrow's city council meeting (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 7/21). Also in CA, Tatko & Holbrook wrote, "If a move to Santa Clara fails, the A's could become a factor in the issue of contraction" (CONTA COSTA TIMES, 7/22).