Peralta College District Halting Talks With A's On Proposed Ballpark
OAKLAND (CBS SF) – The Peralta Community College District board of trustees decided in a closed session meeting Tuesday to direct its chancellor to halt a community engagement process with the Oakland A's on a proposed new baseball stadium near the district's offices and Laney College.
The board of trustees and Chancellor Jowel Laguerre issued a joint statement Wednesday on behalf of the district, which includes Laney College, Merritt College, Berkeley City College and the College of Alameda.
"The district will build on its shared governance model to reimagine the distict's needs and the resources to meet them. We will develop a robust and inclusive internal engagement process to assess our needs and partnerships aligned with our mission. The Board of Trustees will continue due diligence in determining the costs and benefits of potential development," the statement said.
The A's in September announced that their preferred site for a new stadium was the one owned by Peralta and located near Chinatown, Lake Merritt and the San Antonio neighborhood.
Other sites under consideration were the Oakland Coliseum complex, where the team currently plays, and the Howard Terminal near the Port of Oakland.
However, groups representing faculty, staff and students at Laney College and other Peralta schools have opposed the stadium plans, saying it could displace long-time residents in the area, make it harder for students to live nearby, and create an increase in traffic and pollution.
The A's issued a statement Wednesday saying they are "shocked by Peralta's decision not to move forward."
"All we wanted to do was enter into a conversation about how to make this work for all of Oakland, Laney, and the Peralta Community College District," the team said. "We are disappointed that we will not have that opportunity."
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