Oakland (Special to ZennieReport.com) – First, let me say that the moment I saw the Oakland A’s 11th-Hour groupies, excuse me, fans, cheering for Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s 5-year proposed Coliseum lease, I knew it was a disaster.
Second, also let me say that the Mayor of Oakland and her Chief of Staff have no business being the framers, let alone spokespersons, for the A’s lease at the Oakland Coliseum.
And third, the lease, as proposed and presented by Mayor of Oakland Chief of Staff and Glide Memorial Church (still my spiritual home) Legend, should not be designed to put The City of Oakland’s entire structural deficit on the back of the outgoing A’s, but to help the baseball firm do well financially. Let me explain.
Never Base A Sports Lease Deal On Fan Reactions
In the first case, where I said I knew the proposed lease was bad when the “fight for my right to drink and party” crowd cheered for it, the sentiments of lay fans should never craft the lease agreement between stadium owner and team. The lease document is an economic development tool that can either form a good financial platform for an organization, or drag it down with unnecessary debt.
Look, I don’t care how someone feels about the A’s moving to Las Vegas (and I’m all for it so the A’s can escape this generations long insanity and force it, Oakland Government, to get its collective act together) the lease proposal opportunity is a chance for Mayor Thao’s Administration to show it’s grown up and moved beyond its series of very sad and disrespectful moves.
I’ll never get over Mayor Thao, taking her Chief of Staff, Communications Boss, and Howard Terminal Project Manager to meet Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred. Given such an opportunity, any seasoned government official who’s used to working with people on Commissioner Rob Manfred level knows you take people that, collectively, say “We can get a deal done now.” That would call for California Governor Gavin Newsom, Asssemblyperson Mia Bonta, City Administrator Jestin Johnson, and Howard Terminal Project Manager Molly Maybrun.
Instead of a do-group, Mayor Thao took her friends from the office that, collectively, said “We’re just going to show you that we’re women and we’re here.” In an era that has seen a giant list of super-qualified, heavy-hitting women in various firms in the sports financing business, for Sheng to make such a presentation was just plain wrong on so many levels.
It also said “Hey, Commissioner Manfred, we just think you’re sexist, so we’re going to play with your minds.” That’s the message they sent and it was so very incorrect to do. If I worked for Sheng, I’d have not hestitated to share my feelings, directly and powerfully. What she did was wrong. The lease extension proposal provides a chance to do better. So far, the Mayor and her people have proved they have not learned a thing. And that’s what leads me to focus on Coliseum JPA Executive Director Henry Gardner, and my observation that the Mayor should not be stepping on his toes.
The Legendary Boss Of The Oakland Coliseum Treated Like Crap By Mayor Thao
This marks yet another occasion where the the legendary Mr. Gardner and the Coliseum JPA have been left out of a negotiation that they should be taking the lead on. Why? They are the true owners of the Coliseum, that’s why. Henry has to be more of an ass-hole here and say “This is our terrritory, we own the Coliseum, so let us form the lease, present it, change it, and then approve it.”
The Mayor and City Council should not be allowed to have direct contact in a potentially politically sticky situation. But Henry seemed content to let Sheng do just that, and is undoubtedly shaking his head in disgust.
Henry Gardner and the Coliseum JPA Board of Directors are more seasoned decision makers far less likely to have a “soak the rich white guy” view. Moreover, the Coliseum JPA Board of Directors would be more likely to consider the need to paint a picture of a positive future with Mayor League Baseball. The group, if they’re on their game, would see that it was Oakland’s chance to lay out a new way of dealing that says Oakland should have an expansion franchise.
But the reality is the City of Oakland has done nothing: no new stadium model to get everyone excited. In short, no vision for an exciting future. Instead, the Mayor’s Office presents a way forward that says “This is how we’re going to screw you. Enjoy it.”
Mayor Thao Asking Oakland A’s To Help Pay Down City Of Oakland Budget Deficit Is Not Right
That gesture comes in the form of what Ms. Hanson says is a $97 million “extension fee”. A completely ridiculous number that had to be the product of some late night wine-drinking and weed-smoking. A made-up total that says “Oh, we can’t figure out how to close this $170 million budget deficit, so we’ll just soak John Fisher with the tally because he’s a white guy billionaire.
Forget that the number has nothing at all to do with the A’s, who are also talking about selling their portion of the A’s property to AASEG. The $97 million “extension fee” is literally a game of “Dare” and nothing more. The Coliseum JPA itself has a nice surplus, and so much so it gave The City $2 million to pay for its 911 department. I could see the City of Oakland asking the A’s to help with, say, subsidy for small businesses at the Coliseum Stadium, but this $97 million “extension fee”? Come on.
A’s Should Take The AASEG Money And Give It To City of Oakland and Coliseum JPA
Indeed, if I were the A’s, I’d say to Mayor Thao and Company “Why not take that money we’re supposed to get from AASEG, give $80 million to you and $17 million to the Coliseum JPA in rent?” I’d love to see the Oakland Mayor’s Office reaction if that were proposed. It gets the A’s off the hook with respect to the property and helps the City of Oakland and the Coliseum JPA.
Don’t be surprised if the Oakland A’s don’t take any of the garbage presented to them by Mayor Thao and her staff (unless it’s my idea, of course). The Mayor’s Staff is better off using my idea, anyway. The basic economic development terms of “business retention” and “business attraction” , both of which apply here in this relocation and MLB expansion evaluation period, are not being considered by Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Chief of Staff Leigh Hanson, but they are by me.
Mayor Thao and company are doing what they believe they do best: being personal and hard-edged, and all too political in the matter of the A’s. They show why the Oakland Strong Mayor System needs a simple adjustment to give the Oakland City Council voting power over what happens to the City Administrator should the Mayor suddenly want to fire the CAO: four votes of the Oakland City Council should be needed for the Mayor to fire the CAO. The result is more professional behavior, less political. And more of a consideration for long term planning. Staff stays with the City longer and big projects get done.
Well, let’s see how all of this plays out. I can’t wait.
Stay tuned.
Has anyone beside the City, the JPA, and the A’s read the joint venture agreement?
What does it say if there’s a standoff like this?
The Coliseum JPA Formation Doc says nothing about this specific matter. Now, the place to go for an answer has to be California law with respect to government operation but I believe there will not be an answer there. The formation documents have to spell out the arrangements between public body A and public body B. Absent one, there’s nothing save for conflict of interest law standing in the way. That’s where we are. So, let me research that.