Will the Athletics Finally Get a New Stadium?

[nicksaviking]

This thing looks pretty cool:

 

https://www.mlb.com/athletics/oakland-ballpark

 

The way MLBTR sees it, they may not be asking for public funding to build the stadium, only city leader assistance in acquiring the site. I'd guess they'd ask for tax incentives and infrastructure support as well.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

 

If so, good for them and good for the city of Oakland. I know if this pans out my first thoughts would be based on jealousy in that my team's owner was able to gouge the tax payers for his stadium, but I'd be happy if the people of Oakland get a better deal. Frankly, that particular community has had more economic struggles than ours, they could use a break.

[SF Twins Fan]

Looks like a beautiful stadium. I'm not sure if any of you have been to the current stadium or not but it needs to be torn down. It reminds me of entering the Metrodome if the Metrodome was 20 years older and had barbwire all around it. Honestly felt like you were entering a prison.

 

I feel like they would have to do something different in centerfield for the batters eye since this looks like there are people walking around. I do love the trees and greenery all the way around the stadium.

[Twinsbar107]

Apparently the B\batters eye is going to be retractable. I saw that somewhere on Twitter when ballplayers were commenting on the stadium. Can't find the link currently though.

[TheLeviathan]

Unique, cool look. And love no public funding. Done with that.

[Vanimal46]

Unique, cool look. And love no public funding. Done with that.

I hope every city moving forward gives sports owners a big middle finger when they threaten to move if they don't get public funding. It's time for the billionaires to pay their bill.

[Mike Sixel]

The proposed Portland stadium looks amazingly unique too. 

 

https://portlanddiamondproject.com/

 

with trees in CF. I endorse.

[Mike Sixel]

If they actually build a ballpark there, I could almost see it from my new house. Not quite.....but if I lived about 2 blocks West I could. There has been discussion of adding ferries to cross the river, that would be awesome.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I like waterfront ballparks.

 

That looks like it's smack dab in the middle of an industrial area, am I looking at the right spot on Google Maps?

 

Yes and no. It is definitely where the railroads come in, and where the granite companies and others like that are. But there are also restaurants and bars and stuff just a few blocks South. Adding the ballpark to that location would just move the eventual transition of that part of Portland up by a few years, imo.

 

Frankly, I considered talking to some people about buying that spot, building a massive parking garage, and then working with all the new apartment buildings downtown to have some kind of shuttle service.....because there is no parking downtown (which is one reason we didn't end up there before).

[Mike Sixel]

I still think having parking garages a mile or two out of downtown has to happen at some point.....and for cars to be banned in parts of downtown. I just don't know if people are foresightful enough to do it ....

[nicksaviking]

 

Yes and no. It is definitely where the railroads come in, and where the granite companies and others like that are. But there are also restaurants and bars and stuff just a few blocks South. Adding the ballpark to that location would just move the eventual transition of that part of Portland up by a few years, imo.

 

Frankly, I considered talking to some people about buying that spot, building a massive parking garage, and then working with all the new apartment buildings downtown to have some kind of shuttle service.....because there is no parking downtown (which is one reason we didn't end up there before).

 

Yeah sorry, I was looking at the northwest end of the pier, I didn't see the typical new mixed use stuff you normally see in up-and-coming neighborhoods anywhere near that location, then I realized the pier was nearly a mile long. I see the south eastern end is right at the edge of where the turnover is happening. 

[Monkeypaws]

I saw the renderings of the A's stadium - pretty awesome. The only down-side was that the site isn't served by mass transit. That Portland stadium looks amazing. Is that for AAA, or are they hoping to get MLB there?

[Mike Sixel]

 

I saw the renderings of the A's stadium - pretty awesome. The only down-side was that the site isn't served by mass transit. That Portland stadium looks amazing. Is that for AAA, or are they hoping to get MLB there?

 

MLB. Rumors of "no public money" also, but we'll see......

[Mike Sixel]

 

Yeah sorry, I was looking at the northwest end of the pier, I didn't see the typical new mixed use stuff you normally see in up-and-coming neighborhoods anywhere near that location, then I realized the pier was nearly a mile long. I see the south eastern end is right at the edge of where the turnover is happening. 

 

Not sure why you are apologizing. Even I had to look at it two or three times to make sure I saw it right....and I've spent many days there recently looking for granite.....

[nicksaviking]

 

I saw the renderings of the A's stadium - pretty awesome. The only down-side was that the site isn't served by mass transit. That Portland stadium looks amazing. Is that for AAA, or are they hoping to get MLB there?

 

The presentation suggest gondolas to downtown Oakland and parking. Unless they plan on flooding a street or two, I assume they're talking about the elevated kind. Either way, that would be pretty cool. I wonder what kind of high capacity gondola could be created? It would have to seat more than what I picture in my mind.

[Sarah]

 

Looks like a beautiful stadium. I'm not sure if any of you have been to the current stadium or not but it needs to be torn down. It reminds me of entering the Metrodome if the Metrodome was 20 years older and had barbwire all around it. Honestly felt like you were entering a prison.

 

I feel like they would have to do something different in centerfield for the batters eye since this looks like there are people walking around. I do love the trees and greenery all the way around the stadium.

 

Yep, Oakland's stadium is pretty bad - and it looks even worse next to the spectacular AT&T Park. 

[Nine of twelve]

 

Yep, Oakland's stadium is pretty bad - and it looks even worse next to the spectacular AT&T Park. 

Only St. Petersburg has a worse major league stadium.