The A’s are now "focusing on two sites" in Oakland "for a new ballpark: Laney College near Lake Merritt and Howard Terminal on the waterfront next to Jack London Square," according to sources cited by Robert Gammon of OAKLAND MAGAZINE. Sources said that the Laney College property has "edged into the lead as the team’s preferred spot." The A’s now view the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum site as a "distant-third choice." The A’s have been "surveying local residents" on ballpark sites, and in one recent poll, a team rep "made it clear that Laney College is the No. 1 location." The poll "focused heavily on Laney, asking numerous questions about the site" while only asking "one question about Howard Terminal." Sources said that the club's "biggest concern about Howard Terminal is the railroad tracks running in front of it." A's President Dave Kaval has "indicated that the Coliseum site is still on the table for the A’s." But sources said that the Coliseum is now "considered a longshot," primarily because MLB "prefers new ballparks to be close to downtown areas." Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said that she "still favors the Jack London site for the A’s." Meanwhile, Kaval last night "disputed that the Laney College site is now the team's leading choice." He said that the A's have "done polling on all three sites, and in each one of those surveys, pollsters have identified either Howard Terminal, Laney College (which the team refers to as Lake Merritt), or the Coliseum as the top choice in order to deeply probe residents on their feelings about each one" (OAKLANDMAGAZINE.com, 5/10).
