Matier and Ross report that the Oakland City Council met last week, around the time of the planning commission hearing, to figure out how much money to devote to the EIR. While they won’t authorize the full amount, they’ll at least move ahead with a traffic study, which according to comments at the hearing, is long overdue. Perhaps this is a good time for Oakland tell MLB to put up some money. After all, if MLB is encouraging Oakland’s efforts, why not put its money where its mouth is? $500k to help take care of the costs is a drop in the bucket for the Commissioner, and as alluded to earlier, a similar amount to what MLB is offering San Jose for that city’s special election.
But the juiciest piece of the day comes in the form of a bait-and-switch done to Jed York by Willie Brown. Apparently the two were supposed to meet for lunch at a San Francisco restaurant, but when York arrived the reservation wasn’t under Brown’s name. Instead it was under Dianne Feinstein’s name. Feinstein, who’s been in office longer than York has been alive, met with the 49ers scion and both explained their relative positions. York agreed to meet with Gavin Newsom, though it’s not known what if any headway was made.
Somehow, I wouldn’t expect Lew Wolff to get caught in such a situation.
newballpark.org 
Doesn’t Feinstein also represent Santa Clara and the South Bay? Or just Frisco? Maybe she ought to encourage more Friscans to buy 49er tix, since they buy very, very few.
@ML and all–interesting article in the East Bay Express that bodes very well for the VC site.
The BRC likes this site and has spent much time and money exploring it. Still a pipe dream, ST?
An excerpt:
In fact, Major League Baseball’s blue ribbon task force has combed through the financial records of Oakland’s redevelopment agency in recent months to confirm that the city’s ballpark plan pencils out, City Administrator Dan Lindheim said. The league also brought in noted stadium architects Populous, the designers of AT&T Park in San Francisco, to examine Oakland’s planned site for the new stadium in Jack London Square, known as Victory Court. Populous, formerly known as HOK Sports, analyzed East Bay ballpark sites during former City Manager Robert Bobb’s tenure. “They’ve spent an enormous amount of money on high-priced consultants to go through this,” Lindheim said, referring to the league’s task force.
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/oaklands-play-for-the-as/Content?oid=2258860
@jk—interesting in that Oakland won’t step forward then and fund the entire EIR if there is a high level of confidence in the BRC….second….even if MLB gives the thumbs up to Oakland nothing will happen until they find new owners that are willing to invest $500M of their own money to build the ballpark….or the city subsidizes the ballpark to make investment by new owners attractive….do you really think that is viable in Oakland?
@GoA’s–I know, they need to find new owners since Lew doesn’t want any part of Oakland, and that’s a shame. The part that also bummed me out in the article is that Peerless, along with other companies on the site don’t want to sell, just like AT&T in SJ. Imminent domain i guess. Just Oakland’s bad luck having thriving businesses on that site, whereas the 66th ave area is getting more blighted and empty. As they say, location, location, location.
yes, invest $500 mill of their own money in a ballpark after paying several hundred million for the team. Good luck with that one.
Interesting article in today’s Merc indicating that Montana and Debartolo (yes Eddie) are partnering on a proposed hotel, resuarant, and entertainment complex next to the ‘9ers stadium in Santa Clara. Nice for Santa Clara to have the likes of these individuals willing to invest projects that ultimately will support the stadium. Guess Slick Willie overlooked these two guys when trying to convince Jed York of where he should build–http://www.mercurynews.com/southbayfootball/ci_16841394?nclick_check=1