Howard Terminal ballpark coming down to Oakland A’s commitment

The Oakland A’s long desired new ballpark keeps inching closer to reality. Key hurdles are being cleared, and now that the Oakland Planning Commissioners unanimously approved the Howard Terminal Environmental Impact Report, it is on to the Oakland City Council to be certified. That vote is expected to happen in the middle of February.

There are not expected to be any issues with that certification taking place. It would be another hurdle that has been cleared with getting the project to move forward and that new ballpark to be built. A nearly two and a half decade battle is nearly over.

Time for Oakland A’s to show they are Rooted In Oakland

Even though these hurdles are being cleared, there is still a question of commitment. In this case, it is not from the City of Oakland. Instead, it is the A’s that need to prove that they are actually Rooted In Oakland, to borrow their slogan from the past.

That has been in question over the past year. While the A’s have said the right things, their ongoing flirtation with Las Vegas has left a bad taste in the mouths of the fanbase. Likewise, their decision to double ticket prices while stating that they are looking to slash payroll to approximately $50 million for the start of the 2022 season does not sit well with anyone.

But that can all change. The A’s can fix that narrative if they decide to put Las Vegas on hold until everything is done with Oakland. Dave Kaval had been pushing for a binding resolution to happen as quickly as possible, although the A’s have continued to explore their relocation options.

In the end, it will all come down to the A’s. They are getting ever closer to that new stadium and what they had imagined for years. All they are going to have to do is sign on the bottom line.

The Oakland A’s are inching closer to getting their new stadium at Howard Terminal. It is time for them to prove they are Rooted In Oakland.