New Lawsuit Challenges Oakland A’s $12B Project

The Oakland A’s encountered another roadblock to staying in their home city.

A lawsuit challenging a key vote was filed on Friday, arguing that the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission violated environmental law.

• In June, the commission voted to redesignate the Howard Terminal area, where the team seeks to build, to be not exclusively for port use. 
• The lawsuit challenges that decision, saying the commission failed to take the environmental impact of the A’s proposed development into account.
• The A’s seek to build a $1 billion stadium as part of a $12 billion development that would include housing, retail, restaurants, hotels, and a park area.

Beyond the lawsuit, the major remaining hurdle is to strike a deal with Oakland’s city council, which is on recess until September.

Any delay in the process could be consequential: Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf has been the A’s strongest backer in city government, but she is termed out and will be replaced following November’s election.

Visit from Vegas

Casino magnate Phil Ruffin reportedly traveled to the Bay Area on Tuesday to discuss a potential Las Vegas stadium site with A’s executives. 

Ruffin owns Circus Circus and the neighboring Las Vegas Festival Grounds. The festival grounds were considered a potential site for a Las Vegas stadium, but seemed to fall by the wayside over the course of the A’s search. 

Ruffin’s visit suggests that the site has reemerged as a possibility. Previous reports stated that the A’s had narrowed their Vegas search to two sites.