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9-11-17 - Andy Dolich
It took eight years to build the Roman Coliseum 1,900 years ago
9-1-17 - Andy Dolich
Howard Terminal, one of three proposed sites for the Oakland A's new ballpark
Andy Dolich -- 2015
Andy Dolich

The A's to Z of a New Ballpark

By Andy Dolich
The ultra-detailed stadium questionnaire has been circulated and the community meetings continue. The Oakland A's have said that they will select a new ballpark site by the end of the year. The countdown clock is ticking with 112 days left as of today.

The A' regular season ends on October 1st.

A's fans, Oaklanders and Major League Baseball are envisioning a brighter future for the team and the city once the site, financial details, design, construction timelines and infrastructure costs are released.

This critical choice will be a watershed moment for Oakland and Alameda County elected officials and their taxpaying constituents. That's when they will learn what they might be expected to pay for infrastructure improvements at Peralta College, Howard Terminal or the Coliseum site. According to team president Dave Kaval, all are still in contention.

If team owner John Fisher isn't going to cover 100 percent of the cost, that's when the community will have to ask if any of that money would be better spent on education, public safety, affordable housing, a growing homeless challenge and improved community infrastructure. Team officials say that the ballpark will be privately financed but the multi-million dollar devil will be in the details of the final agreement.

A's ownership has long said it is unable to build a winning team because of the decrepit condition of Roto-Rooter Coliseum. The team believes that increased revenue from the new ballpark will provide the resources to compete with the big money teams.

The A's are a major recipient of Major League Baseball's revenue sharing system. The A's turn a reported yearly profit pocketing $30 million dollars plus from fellow team owners. Majority owner John Fisher has seen his original investment of $180 million in 2005 appreciate to around $900 million, according to Forbes Magazine. As of today, September 11, the A's are last in the AL West, 23 games out, and 29th in MLB attendance.

One of the key reasons to speed up the ballpark decision is that Major League Baseball's revenue sharing financial assistance program is coming to an end. The A's take will be diminished by 25 percent each year until it hits zero dollars in 2020.

A's president Dave Kaval has worked tirelessly this season to change fans' perception about the team's future. The recent stadium survey and open meetings with multiple community constituencies are focused on helping the team select one of three sites and develop a menu of options for seating, costs to fans, parking, transportation, food and beverage selection, ballpark amenities. A critical element that was left out of the survey had to do with what type of players and team the fans might want to play in this new ballpark, while trying to win a World Series.

With all that in mind, there is much we need to know about any new stadium plan. The press conference promises to be a full contact affair.

Transparency is an overused word in today's world. We shall see how crystal clear the answers to all of these questions, and many others, will be.

*  What are the top five reasons you selected this site?
*  What will the ballpark cost?
*  Will it be 100% privately funded? Is John Fisher paying for all the ballparks costs,
     including infrastructure?
*  If not, where is the additional money coming from?
*  When will you be breaking ground and when will the ballpark open?
*  What are the plans to add retail, transportation, residential, youth sports facilities, or
    anything else, as part of the new development?

From Oakland's mayor, I'd want to know what plans the city and county have for the soon to be franchiseless Coliseum site?

It took only eight years to conceptualize, finance, work through the politics, design and construct the ancient Colosseum in Rome, 1,900 years ago.

We are now into Year 12 for a viable plan to erect a new Coliseum, aka A's Ballpark.

Will this critical decision for the future of the franchise be a "Veni, Vidi, Vici" announcement?

We will soon know.

Andy Dolich, President, Dolich Consulting -- Andy Dolich has held executive positions in the NFL (San Francisco 49ers), NBA (Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers), MLB (Oakland A's),NHL (Washington Capitals) Pro Soccer and Lacrosse. He is the Entrepreneur in Residence at Menlo College and teaches sports business at
Stanford's School of Continuing Studies.

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3-6-17 - Pops

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