Here is the opening to my Sunday column about the potential for an A’s ballpark in Oakland:
The man on the phone sounded earnest. He also sounded confident. He is a Sacramento developer named Rick Tripp and he wants the A’s and Raiders to stay in Oakland, and he has a plan that would cost taxpayers zero, as in zilch. That’s what he says.
He had contacted me after I wrote a column saying the A’s never will move to San Jose — Major League Baseball will not let that happen.
“I head up a development and finance team that is ready to deploy 100 percent private financing toward the construction of a new stadium for the A’s in Oakland,” he wrote to me. “We can launch our stadium development plan immediately.”
We arranged to speak on the phone. This column is based on that phone call. I present Tripp’s plan, which I have not vetted. I present it because it shows the existence of at least one developer who wants to build a stadium in Oakland — actually two stadiums, one for the A’s and another for the Raiders. Tripp is eager to deal with reality as opposed to dealing with daydreams, which summarizes the current approach of A’s ownership. My guess is several developers exist who would leap into an Oakland stadium deal if the A’s ever renounce their San Jose fantasy and mirage.
To read the full column, click here
Capts
I would love to keep East Bay and Oakland sports strong for the foreseeable future. I hope this guy is on to something. This region and city is proud of its seven championships and storied history.
July 21st, 2012 9:09 pm
ga's
Capts….I’m pulling for you guys in Oaktown to hold onto “both” of your Sports Franchises. As a San Franciscan, I “know” how it feels for a Storied Franchise to be ripped away form its namesake town…
Lowell, if you ever get a chance, go onto YouTube, and type in “49ers May Still Be Saved For San Francisco.” If only SF were not a day late & a dollar short….What might “have” been.
July 22nd, 2012 1:34 am
Lo Sbandato
If he truly has a Middle Eastern sovereign fund ready to come on board, he’s golden. They love to pour money into prestige projects that aren’t necessarily expected to be profitable. Just look at what oil money has done for Manchester City and PSG. Shoot, they’ve even financed success at Malaga. Maybe someone should see if they want to buy the A’s.
July 22nd, 2012 5:04 am
Dennis
A number of things come to mind – none of them good. I start with the old adage, ‘if it is too good to be true it usually isn’t’. Second, this would be much more credible if it came from someone who actually has built a stadium, successful or not. Three, we have seen firsthand how difficult these stadium deals are to put together through the experience of Jerry Jones in Texas and Jed York in the Bay Area. Here comes a guy who builds homes for a living, doesn’t have a football team or a baseball team or a commitment for a long term lease from either one and thinks he has the financing lined up – it just doesn’t work that way in the real world. I am sure it was a very nice conversation, but there is nothing here but hot air, your time and a little bit of ink.
July 22nd, 2012 7:42 am
Stan
I was told by Joe over at BANG (You can read it right now on A’s blog) that “I dont know the facts”. I gave Joe some other facts in return…ALL of which contradict what Wolff ,Beane and multi billionaire John Fisher have preached or predicted.
And of course,how much better it is to simply use the land that they have right now- no argument from the city to tear down and rebuild or simply renovate.
Joe never mentions that the A’s are the 4th richest ownership in baseball,and swore when they bought they would spend to bring the A’s up to historic levels.
So,my advice to Wolff is..take your own advice when you bought.
July 22nd, 2012 8:33 am
Stan
Oh,and that if they had started that new stadium re build in 2006..it would be done by now..imagine the value of the franchise would be.
Lets face it,Fishers greed is to have all the money now.
July 22nd, 2012 8:35 am
Tiburon Dave
I’ve read in the archives that P.T. Barnum loved to buy lunch for top columnists and pontificate. This is complete nonsense.
July 22nd, 2012 9:11 am
chris
this sounds pretty vague and I dont think the current owners and their egos would want any part of this. Wolfe and the Fishers have made it clear by their actions that they want full control of the stadium issue. And if they sell I’m sure the same would be true of any new owners. Nice try Lowell.
July 22nd, 2012 9:40 am
Steve
Lowell,
Would you buy a used car from this guy?
July 22nd, 2012 10:05 am
CohnZohn
Steve, I try to buy new cars. I like the smell.
July 22nd, 2012 10:37 am
Stan
Too bad a go -getter like me isn’t owner of the A’s…I would tear down and rebuild the Coliseum city…while the A’s play at Stanford for a year (or Cal or name your college diamond)..might be fun too..REAL retro baseball on wooden benches.
Makes sense too since Beane and co. feel 30,000 is all the seating they need..any college park could handle that.
And bring pennant and racoon tails to wave.
July 22nd, 2012 11:07 am
Steve
Lowell,
Me too, but I wouldn’t buy any car or anything else from this guy. Would you?
July 22nd, 2012 12:26 pm
Lo Sbandato
This dude is certainly motivated to build an arena, any arena for anybody who will let him:
http://www.27×7.com/2011/03/02/10-questions-sacramento-developer-tripp-has-kings-arena-plan-for-rancho-cordova/
July 23rd, 2012 1:44 pm
CohnZohn
Lo Sbandato, I had to edit your comment. I mean, come on.
July 23rd, 2012 1:57 pm
Lo Sbandato
What did I say? Did I let a swear word slip? I honestly don’t know what it might have been.
July 24th, 2012 1:20 pm
Lo Sbandato
Wait, I remember now. While it may be little more than a quaint colloquialism in say, any Phillip Roth novel, it’s your blog and your right to edit for content.
The condescending “I mean, come on” is complete bunk, though. You could have simply edited and left it at that. I obviously wouldn’t have noticed.
July 24th, 2012 2:00 pm
CohnZohn
Lo Sbandato, Sorry if I hurt your feelings. Didn’t mean to. I didn’t edit for content. I edited for taste. I write for a family paper — I know, I know, this is the internet. Go in peace.
July 24th, 2012 2:29 pm
Lo Sbandato
I understand. I’m easily offended, but quick to cool off.
July 24th, 2012 4:20 pm
Bill
World economy is slowing. markets are tanking. This Tripp is full of shipp.
July 25th, 2012 12:58 am
mendozaline
Here is a link to the newballpark.org site that discusses Lowell’s article and the Tripp proposal:
http://newballpark.org/2012/07/23/not-every-idea-is-a-good-one/
There are additional opinions in the comments section.
July 25th, 2012 1:01 am