By Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City Councilmember At-Large–
On February 2, 2023, a press conference was held where I, along with Mayor Sheng Thao, Councilmembers Fife, Reid, Ramachandran, Jenkins, and Gallo, Ray Bobbitt and others in the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) leadership, business and community leaders, appeared to announce an historic event. AASEG had entered into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with the city of Oakland for the city’s 50% interest in the Coliseum complex—making this the largest transfer of public land to African Americans in Oakland’s 171-year history.
AASEG is an African American founded, Oakland-based group focused on creating economic opportunity in East Oakland and using the Coliseum complex as a vehicle for economic equity and social justice. AASEG’s proposal includes bringing a WNBA team to the City of Oakland; it aligns with the city’s values to uphold and support women and to allow fans to root for a sport primarily led by Black women. The signing of the ENA only strengthens Oakland’s position in the very competitive process to get a WNBA expansion team. The group has received strong support from the Oakland community, Oakland City Council, and the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority (OACCA) in this effort.
I have worked continuously to revitalize the Oakland Coliseum. I believe the Oakland Coliseum property to be an excellent large site that has connectivity throughout the region, including with BART, Amtrak, freeway, and airport access. By developing it in a way that provides jobs, housing at all income levels, and public revenue, we can achieve significant improvement for the Oakland community, especially in the East Oakland area where it is located.
Three years ago, in an op-ed for The Oakland Post, I wrote of the existing concerns about the loss of jobs, lack of affordable housing, and the further erosion of the Black community in East Oakland, and how community-oriented revitalization of the Coliseum site can help remedy these problems. See the op-ed at: https://tinyurl.com/mjzcwuex
As the author of the Oakland City Council and OACCA resolutions allowing for the ENA with AASEG, I am thrilled that we have the opportunity to bring jobs, housing at all income levels, sports, entertainment, and more to this vital Oakland site, in a way that strengthens equity and vibrancy for the community at this transit-accessible location.
Councilmember At-Large and Council President Rebecca Kaplan, who is the Vice Mayor of Oakland, was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember; she was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. She also serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). Follow Councilmember Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland (https://twitter.com/Kaplan4Oakland) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Kaplan4Oakland/).
Out of the Closet and into City Hall
Published on February 9, 2023
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