by Stephen Popoff
Take me out to the ballpark that has a view of the Golden Gate Bridge between the right and center field wall and of the new Bay Bridge beyond the left field wall. Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks at what will clearly be the premiere stadium in major league baseball. You’ve heard it here first. The A’s are moving to Albany and Berkeley and will build a new state-of-the-art stadium at the current site of Golden Gate Fields.
A’s ownership, exhausted by years of negotiation with the Oakland City Council over the Howard Terminal site, has decided to make the move to business-friendly Berkeley and Albany after being promised a quick approval process.
It’s not the first time that the long-time racetrack was considered for development. 18 years ago, Rick Caruso, a Los Angeles based developer, had his eye on the prime location to build what he called a “lifestyle center”, an upscale retail project with plazas and a farmers’ market. The project was vehemently opposed by locals, especially in Albany, who thought the project would hurt local businesses and have a negative effect on wildlife in the area.
“It was just the wrong project at the wrong time,” said a planning commissioner who wished to remain anonymous. “The new A’s stadium will be a boon for local businesses and dramatically enhance the tax bases of both Berkeley and Albany. This project is a win-win for everybody and should be approved quickly with our current progressive leadership in both cities,” he continued.
According to our sources, A’s ownership made an offer too good to refuse to the Stronach Group, the owners of Golden Gate Fields, and the deal should close as soon as all the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed.
Although it is too early to say, our sources also have hinted that an elevated monorail will be built and travel up Buchanan St, then down San Pablo Ave towards the El Cerrito Plaza BART station with a stop at Solano Ave for those who wish to shop or eat at local restaurants. On the Berkeley side, another monorail will travel up Gilman St., and eventually arrive at North Berkeley BART station on a route yet to be determined.
Since the Golden Gate Fields property extends through both the cities of Albany and Berkeley, there was some confusion on what exactly the team should be called, the Berkeley A’s or the Albany A’s. The mayors of Albany and Berkeley settled it the old-fashioned way with a coin flip.
Albany won the toss, and starting in 2025 when the stadium should be completed, you’ll get to see the Albany A’s play ball while taking in some of the best views in the world.
A spokesperson for the Oakland A’s said they were thankful to work with two city governments that were so decisive and wouldn’t overthink such a great concept.