A's President Dave Kaval over the weekend detailed plans for the gondola system he would like to build around the team's proposed ballpark, saying that the $123M project "would be privately financed," according to Martin Gallegos of the San Jose MERCURY NEWS. The aerial system would be a "similar operation to the one the Dodgers are looking to get built in order to alleviate the brutal traffic to Dodger Stadium." A station would be built in downtown Oakland that would then leave fans "just a three-minute walk" to the team's proposed new ballpark. Each gondola would "hold about 35 people, with a projected 6,000 people transported per hour." Kaval expects the project to generate more than $685M over 10 years when completed, an 18-month building process with an opening that "would fall in line" with that of the ballpark in '23. However, the fate of the gondola project "lies in the hands of city government and officials" (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 1/27). Kaval at the team's FanFest on Saturday "unveiled artist renderings and a video simulation of the project." He also said that the gondola itself "might become a tourist attraction" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/27). In San Jose, Nico Savidge noted while the A's FanFest at Jack London Square "served to build excitement for the coming season," it also "seemed aimed just as much at generating support" for the proposed waterfront ballpark. Though they have seen other ballpark ideas "fall through, fans on Saturday seemed to be buying in" (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 1/27). Kaval said that it was "too early to talk fares but that the ride would 'be competitive with other local transportation options'" (SFCHRONICLE.com, 1/27).
BIG DECISION TO COME: In S.F., Susan Slusser noted a crowd of 30,000 was on hand at Jack London Square on Saturday for A's FanFest, and Exec VP/Baseball Operations Billy Beane during his annual Q&A addressed the situation around Kyler Murray. Beane: "We're still very excited about Kyler Murray. ... He's a phenomenal kid and a great athlete and I wouldn't take that pick back in a second. We're all still very optimistic." Slusser noted as far as the A's know, Murray is "planning to report to big-league camp by Feb. 15." But Beane said that there is "no timetable for him to decide baseball vs. football." Should Murray "report and then leave the team for the NFL combine at the end of February, the team likely would place him on the restricted list, and he would have to repay" his $4.66M signing bonus. The A's "aren't considering allowing Murray to attend the combine and then return to big-league camp and have not discussed it with Murray or his representatives" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/27).
A's Proposed Gondola System
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