'Very hopeful' Libby Schaaf stresses stakes in agency's Howard Terminal vote

Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf claps before the game between the Oakland Athletics and the Houston Astros at Oakland Coliseum.
Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf claps before the game between the Oakland Athletics and the Houston Astros at Oakland Coliseum. Photo credit Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – Although Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf is "very hopeful" that a state agency on Thursday will grant a key approval of the Athletics' proposed $12 billion Howard Terminal waterfront development project, she believes the stakes couldn't be higher.

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"If the BCDC does not vote to remove Howard Terminal from port use tomorrow, this whole project is over," Schaaf said of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission's scheduled Thursday vote during a Wednesday morning interview with KCBS Radio's Melissa Culross and Joe Hughes.

The commission is set to vote on whether Howard Terminal should be exempt from port designation. Two-thirds of the commissioners must vote in favor of the exemption for the project to move forward, and agency staff recommended the commission do just that. Approval would allow the A's to apply for a permit with the commission to develop the site.

The A's, with the backing of Major League Baseball, have said the Oakland Coliseum site is not suitable for redevelopment and that the team's current stadium is outdated. A's officials have explored possible ballpark sites in Las Vegas, and MLB reportedly would waive a relocation fee if the team moved.

Included in the Howard Terminal proposal is a $1 billion, 35,000-seat ballpark that the A’s would call home, 3,000 rental housing units, 18 acres of public open space and as much as 270,000 square feet of retail space and 1.5 million square feet of open space.

Schaaf, a longtime supporter of the project, said the development has the potential to economically transform an area of the Port of Oakland that hasn't seen much shipping activity while also revitalizing West Oakland and the waterfront.

"Howard Terminal has not had terminal shipping activities on it," Schaaf said. "The port has tried to lease it to a terminal operator for almost 10 years now with no takers."

Opponents of the project have characterized the development as a "land grab" for billionaire A's owner John Fisher, arguing that its approval will result in the loss of jobs, an exacerbation of existing supply chain issues and gentrification of nearby West Oakland and Chinatown.

Councilmember Noel Gallo, one of two to vote against certifying the project's environmental impact report earlier this year, introduced a resolution for Tuesday’s city council meeting that, if supported by a majority of the members, would a place a measure on the November ballot asking voters to weigh in on whether the Oakland City Council should approve the use of public funds for the project.

Schaaf told Culross and Hughes that she urges "the city council to not entertain this misguided proposal."

"The Oakland A's are our last major league sports team," Schaaf said, referring to the Raiders' departure to Las Vegas and the Golden State Warriors' move to San Francisco. "It's what gives us pride. It's where we build our spirit. It gives us an identity, nationally. Sports matter, and particularly ballgames, because there are so many every year, they really have a positive economic impact."

"Not to the extent where cities invest in the stadiums themselves, and I want to be really clear: Oakland is not proposing putting a dime into the ballpark itself," she continued. "That has to be privately built. But what we're excited about is that this whole ballpark neighborhood is going to be a money maker, not a money taker for the City of Oakland."

The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission will vote on Howard Terminal's port designation during the agency’s 9 a.m. meeting, during which residents can provide public comment. Information about how to join the meeting can be found here.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports