A new article by the Argus' Matthew Artz confirms a circulating rumor: the environmental impact review process will go the whole nine yards, pushing its completion until the end of the year. Nothing can proceed until the study is completed, reviewed, and voted upon. Tack on the normal construction time, and it makes 2011 unlikely. The A's were hoping that portions of the previous Pacific Commons study could be used, but the presence of the old document makes the review more complicated, requiring a comparison of projected changes to actual changes.
Those of you looking for a political angle may look at the study's availability after the November general election, when incumbent Bob Wasserman will face off against four-time former mayor Gus Morrison and councilman Steve Cho. Without even a draft, there isn't much substance to debate. That's not to say that Morrison won't feature the anti-ballpark stance prominently, it's just that he won't have any specifics to point to unless he wants to put together his own independent study. Meanwhile, proponents will have the Economic Impact study from last year as ammunition, which I covered in several posts last spring.
A simple economic angle also can't be dismissed. By pushing the opening back a year, investors may be hoping that they'll be an additional year removed from the recession and the housing market drop.
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The change to 2012 is clearly a process-oriented move. They have little choice. But leaving the door open for 2013 and beyond, I think is a reaction to the housing and economy situations. No one really knows where those are headed and they clearly want to hedge their bets. Wolff knows that even getting a construction loan in the foreseeable future is a longshot. Of course, a couple of years can change all that. But right now, why commit to a specific timeline?
Having no report will not slow down Morrison one bit, in my opinion. He's a politician. He'll create all the strawmen he needs to tilt at the Pacific Commons windmill. I can hardly wait...
Is this really a surprise? I think we all figured 2011 was a wildly optimistic best case scenario. 2012, is more realistic and 2013 just seems like forever.
Possible opening date 2012 or even 2013? "Ouch" Another factor in all the this is the Raiders. I know someone who works for the Raiders and they have stated that the team and the county are working on a lease extension to stay in Oakland or East Bay proper pass 2011.
If it involves remodeling the existing coliseum for football Davis is going to want Wolf to "hurry up" and have the A's moved out by a certain point so the Raiders can begin remodeling coliseum. If the Raiders decide to build a new stadium somewhere else in the East Bay then this timing factor won't be an issue.
I really don't think this move will happen. There are a number of obstacles, environmental, etc,,,but the big one is a slow economy that will last for a decade, particularly in housing. It just isn't going to make sense to build 3000 homes around a new ball park in Fremont, imho. Lew and the investors will eventually pull out. The team will be in Oakland for quite a while longer.
It's not a situation where 3000 homes will suddenly be for sale in 2011-12. They're phasing them in over a decade-long span. Do you think the economy will be in the tank for that long? If so, why?
I just got back from a week in San Diego Ca .
I went to the first of three games of the Padres Vs Tigers.
A last place team with a sweet park gets 41,600.
I don't know if because of Greg Maddux or maybe they just always have a good size attendance.
I wanted to see Greg one more time before he retires.
Few things
As soon as a player of the padres steps in box they get the crowd going I like this from first at bat to last they a FREE 10th man and 11th the PA that's lively.
I wish the A's PA did more earlier on and kept it up .Its always good to amp the teams up with crowd noise not be boring and have team fans half asleep.
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