The city of Oakland has been -- and is -- home to a few of the most loyal and passionate fanbases in professional sports. Unfortunately for Warriors, Raiders and Athletics fans, all three teams either have relocated or are trying to relocate.
That includes the A's, who have called Oakland home since 1968, but are in the process of relocating to Las Vegas for the 2028 MLB season.
The one spearheading the A's move is team owner John Fisher, who spoke exclusively to the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser on Tuesday about the newly released renderings for the team's proposed ballpark at the Tropicana site along the strip.
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Fisher expressed his excitement about the new renderings and the unique Las Vegas ballpark design, but was asked about the team's previous plan to build a stadium at the Howard Terminal site in Oakland and why those plans ultimately didn't work out.
“I will say, the Bay Area is a spectacular place,” Fisher told the Chronicle. “And Oakland is going to figure it out. It has incredibly great culture. It’s got a really great climate, great views, and there are some incredibly smart and creative people who live here and want to make the city work.
“It will happen. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to wait.”
The A's spent years working with the city of Oakland on the proposed ballpark project before both sides ceased negotiations last year.
Athletics
Fisher and the A's then sought relocation to Las Vegas, which received unanimous approval from MLB owners in November after the Nevada State Assembly passed Senate Bill 1, which will fund construction of the proposed ballpark, in June of last year.
While hurdles still remain for Fisher and the A's before they can break ground on their new ballpark, such as finding a temporary home for when the team's Coliseum lease expires after the 2024 season, the A's --- at least for one more season --- will call Oakland home.
