San Jose Officials Remain Hopeful For Oakland A's Move To South Bay, Despite Lease Extension Agreement
SAN JOSE (KCBS) – San Jose officials said Thursday's 10-year lease agreement for the A's to remain in Oakland does not change efforts to bring the team to the South Bay, as far as they're concerned.
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed said even with the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Joint Powers Authority voting in favor of the lease proposal, San Jose's hopes still come down to a federal appeals court hearing next month.
"It doesn't change the equation in San Jose. We're waiting for a hearing in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on our lawsuit against Major League Baseball to knock out their so-called antitrust exemption," Reed said. "After we're done with that, then the A's will be back on track to move to San Jose in some future year."
San Jose Officials Remain Hopeful For Oakland A's Move To South Bay, Despite Lease Extension Agreement
Joe Cotchett, San Jose's lead attorney in that suit, said the lease is an excellent development because it creates stability and keeps the team in the Bay Area.
"It's outstanding news for San Jose because regardless of the length of the term of the lease, whether it be 10 years or 20 years, the fact of the matter is, the Oakland Athletics have an ability to under this lease, to move after two years," said Cotchett.
The lease proposal, which still has to approved by the Oakland City Council and Alameda County Board of Supervisors, would require the A's to give the JPA two year's notice of their intent to move the baseball team to another city.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear San Jose's case on August 12.
