Oakland Raiders' Owner Mark Davis Discusses Possible Move To San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO (CBS SF) -- The Oakland Raiders have recently been in discussions with San Antonio officials for a possible move to the Alamo City.
The San Antonio Express-News reports Raiders owner Mark Davis and two other team officials met with San Antonio officials earlier this month, including former mayors Henry Cisneros and Julián Castro along with the city manager and members of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.
In a statement released by the Raiders, Davis confirmed the meeting. "I was in San Antonio to honor [former Raiders player] Cliff Branch on his induction into the PVILCA [Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association Hall of Fame]. Former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros is a friend, and Henry suggested I take the opportunity to meet with some of the city officials while we were in town. I have nothing further to discuss on the topic."
Davis and his entourage spent several days in the Alamo City, touring the Alamodome and other sites - including a helicopter tour of the city - according to the Express-News.
The Raiders' owner has expressed his frustration with the team's current situation at O.co Coliseum, which the team shares with the Oakland Athletics.
Critics of the Coliseum's new 10-year lease agreement with the A's have said the deal would be the catalyst to drive the Raiders out of Oakland, since it is doubtful the Raiders want a Coliseum roommate for potentially another 10 years.
O.co Coliseum is the only stadium left in the U.S. that currently hosts both a pro baseball and pro football team. The Raiders are the only one among the three current Oakland teams including the Golden State Warriors who have indicated they want to stay in Oakland.
"We're trying to get something done up here," Davis said previously. "But if we can't, we've got to get something done somewhere."
If the Raiders moved to San Antonio, the Alamodome would be a temporary home and Davis would seek a new stadium within a few years, according to the Express-News.
The report quoted an anonymous source as saying Davis told San Antonio civic and business leaders he isn't seeking a "Jerry Jones-type facility" such as AT&T Stadium in Arlington and prefers "a small, intimate" stadium that he can place "a statue of his father (Al Davis) in front of."
"We don't have any information about (Davis' meeting in San Antonio)," said National Football League spokesman Greg Aiello told the Express-News. "So there is no reason for us to comment."
