Sep 27, 2024
(KRON) -- After 57 years at the Oakland Coliseum, the Oakland Athletics played their final game there on Thursday, giving the fans something to celebrate with a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers in front of a sell-out crowd. Now that the last pitch has been thrown, the last hot dog sold, and the fans have all gone home, as of Friday morning, it's all quiet at the Oakland Coliseum. So, what's next for the massive concrete bowl that can seat up to as many as 63,000, depending on its configuration? The Oakland-based African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) recently reached deals with the City of Oakland, the Alameda County, and the A's to take sole ownership of the property -- including the Oakland Arena. The group is currently working with a developer to reimagine the future of the venue and its surrounding location. MLB will never come back to Oakland, Rickey Henderson says "I'm really excited about the new chapter of the site," said AASEG president Ray Bobbitt. Bobbitt said the group is looking into possibly dividing the Coliseum site into 20 different "development pads." These could be used for housing, open spaces, and retail, he said. While a final plan is still some years off, Bobbitt said the public will be included in the process. "The opportunities for what we could build there are extremely open," Bobbitt said. "The community and the East Bay region are going to have a lot of input into that." Bobbitt said that in all iterations of the site's future development, sports will be included. Photos: Inside Oakland Coliseum for A’s final game The site's immediate access to freeways, BART and other public transportation, and the fact that it's already set up for sports, make it a very attractive location. Already, the Oakland Roots soccer team are set to play home matches at the Coliseum beginning in 2025. "As Oakland Roots move into the Coliseum in 2025, our goal is to ensure that everyone, especially the young people in our community, have the chance to create unforgettable moments in the Coliseum and across the City of Oakland through sports for years to come," the Roots wrote in a letter posted to X on Thursday. "Let's show the world what Oakland is all about," the letter continued. In addition to the Roots, Bobbitt said the AASEG is already in talks with other sports leagues. "We are excited about all aspects of this development," he said, "but major league sports will be back in Oakland. Bobbitt told KRON4 that AASEG would love to bring another NFL or MLB team back to Oakland, despite A's legend Rickey Henderson saying Thursday, that that's not likely to happen.
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