It appears that A’s Owner Lew Wolff “may end up buying” two pieces of land needed to complete a downtown ballpark in San Jose, as well as several others that the San Jose Redevelopment Agency “had purchased over the years in preparation of landing a major league team,” according to Tracy Seipel of the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS. Wolff will buy the land “to convince baseball Commissioner Bud Selig that the A's and San Jose -- who have been waiting more than two years for Selig's decision on whether the team can relocate to San Jose -- mean business.” Wolff said Friday, "We have no authority to move to San Jose. But each day we try to get as many ducks in a row as we can. And as far as we're concerned, that's the only location we can go to if we stay in the Bay Area." The San Jose City Council tomorrow “will meet in closed session to discuss the price and terms of payment for an option agreement the city would offer Wolff for the sale of six properties.” They amount “to little more than half of the 14 acres earmarked for the stadium.” San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed said that by early November “he will ask the council not only to approve the option agreement to sell the land to Wolff, but also to transfer all proceeds from the sale back to the redevelopment agency” (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 10/15).
POSSIBLE REBUILDING: In S.F., John Shea noted, “If and when the Raiders find new digs, the A’s again would be sole tenants of the Coliseum.” The A’s “no longer would have to kowtow to the Raiders and might actually have some say on what transpires on the property -- such as a renovation or a complete leveling and starting anew," with the latter "being the preference.” Wolff 's focus “remains San Jose or bust.” Wolff: “For us, there’s nothing new, and no one has presented another plan other than what we have in place.” Wolff, former co-Owner Steve Schott and Selig all have said that the team “can’t survive at the Coliseum, but it would be easier to survive at a new Coliseum.” If a rebuild “becomes an option,” A’s investor John Fisher “could either play along … or sell the team to an outfit willing to give Oakland another try, starting with corporate sponsorships and personal seat licenses.” Another resource could be MLB, “which certainly owes the A’s for keeping the organization in limbo so long and should provide compensation.” MLB did provide “certain guarantees to the Marlins for building their new ballpark, which opens next season, and it should behoove Selig and Co. to help the A’s make it work” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 10/16).
