Bay Area

Howard Terminal Ballpark Discussions Continue

Published

6 years ago

January 23, 2020

The City Council passed a resolution this week to work collaboratively with the Port of Oakland to authorize a new A’s stadium at Howard Terminal on the waterfront – a decision that has little substance but gives the impression that the council is moving quickly to a final decision to build the stadium.

The resolution, which the council passed unanimously Tuesday evening, authorizes the City Administrator to sign a “non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)” between the city and the port to review the project proposed by the Oakland A’s.

The resolution was submitted by the Office of the City Administrator. Since it is well known that Mayor Libby Schaaf’s administration strongly endorses the Howard Terminal project, some council members were concerned that the resolution might be committing them to more than what it appeared to say on its surface.

Council President Rebecca Kaplan asked city staff and legal counsel why this resolution was needed.

“We are not voting tonight on whether or not to build a ballpark,” Kaplan said.

“I didn’t think we needed an MOU for the city and the port to work together,” she added, questioning why the resolution was “recommended or necessary.”

After consulting with city staff, Kaplan said the reason for the MOU is “so there will not be lack of clarity in terms of city/port duties.”

“We are not changing any duties, just restating them so the city and port will not have any confusion between each other,” she said.

Speaking at the council meeting, Ruby Ascevedo, a staff attorney with Public Advocates, criticized the resolution for lacking substance and clarity.

“There is no information on this item that could inform the public of what this MOU is actually doing, how it’s going to govern the actions taken by either the port or the city,” she said.

“I reviewed it several times. I am an attorney and cannot tell you what is in there and what the public can expect from this MOU.”

Councilmember Noel Gallo wanted to be sure that the resolution did not mean that the council was giving up its authority to make the final decision on the ballpark.

“At the end of the day, who has the final vote and say in terms of the ballpark? He asked, satisfied with the answer that it was the council and not the mayor.

“We’re all Oakland A’s fans, but I represent the best interests of the public,” Gallo said, pointing out that past deals with the Raiders and Warriors have left local taxpayers on the hooks for millions of dollars.

“This is not a rubber stamping process,” said Councilmember Lynette McElhaney. “It is important that this body send a signal that there is nothing set in stone.”

“It is fine for the mayor to be a champion,” she said, but the council process must be “deliberative (and) intentional,” weighing the impact of the project on the port and its workers, air quality for the community and transportation in the area.

Under the team’s timeline – backed by A’s fans, local businesses, developers and building trades unions – the project would break ground next year and completed in time for the 2023 season.

The A’s is also currently negotiating with the city to purchase the city’s share of the Coliseum property or become partners in a major real estate deal, turning the area in a complex of housing, offices and retail.

Opposing the deal are the International Longshore Union Local 10, East Oakland churches and local residents, who view the proposed project as leading to intensified gentrification and undermining the port as a major international shipping hub.

Another coalition, Oakland United — made up of residents, nonprofits and community groups — is willing to back the Howard Terminal ballpark if the project contains a strong community benefits agreement.

Ken Epstein

Posts by Ken Epstein

Up Next

Dr. Maya Rockymoore Cummings Energized Black Women’s Groups at Local Event

Don't Miss

Schumer Statement on Senator McConnell’s Impeachment Trial Resolution

Ken Epstein

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

Published

5 days ago

March 7, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.