A’s stadium plan crosses another hurdle

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) met on Thursday to decide the fate of the Oakland Athletics’ Howard Terminal ballpark plan. The BCDC voted in approval of the project to move forward, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a statement.

Essentially, the vote allows the Howard Terminal project to use the land controlled by the Port of Oakland. The BCDC voted 23 to 2 to reclassify a 56-acre terminal at the Port of Oakland as a mixed-use area where a new ballpark could be built.

A’s President Dave Kaval took to Twitter his excitement of the news. “Boom… BCDC vote passes!” Kaval said. “What a huge win for our waterfront ballpark project and the future of Oakland and the A’s!”

Kaval joined KRON4 on Thursday to discuss the latest developments.

The BCDC recommended moving forward with the Oakland A’s new potential ballpark at Howard Terminal. Thursday’s vote by the commission members made that recommendation official.

Specifically, the commission was voting on whether to remove the acres the ballpark would be built on as a “port.”

Kaval and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf are supportive of an affirmative decision, which will allow the team to stay in the Bay Area, instead of moving to Las Vegas.

“Today’s vote moves Oakland toward a more prosperous future. Our city has historically been overlooked for major economic development, but today that story about Oakland changes. I’m deeply grateful to the BCDC commissioners and every local resident – in Oakland and across our Bay Area region – who showed up to advocate for more affordable housing, more union jobs, and more public access to our waterfront. We will continue to work closely with our community to bring this bold vision into a beautiful reality and keep our A’s rooted in Oakland for generations to come.”

Statement from Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf

The Associated Press contributed to this report.