Oakland Ballers finish final security preparations for inaugural home opener
Tuesday night's sold-out home opener will be fans' first chance to experience an Oakland Ballers game at Raimondi Park, covering everything from security to parking.
"Yeah we're very close," said Ballers co-founder Paul Freedman. "Putting the final touches in. It's a little bit stressful because we have a lot of little things to do, but there's gonna be baseball here on June 4th."
On the cusp of opening day, Freeman is watching the final pieces fall into place; getting the park ready for baseball, and an opening night sellout.
He had a message for fans who are unfamiliar with the area.
"Well, I think, first of all, this neighborhood is a lot safer than people expect. I mean, we live in a big city," Freedman said of safety in the area. "You always gotta look out. But this neighborhood, my kids played soccer at the field right over here. We also have a lot of security. Over a dozen security personnel will be here. We will have OPD on site. So this is gonna be a safe, secure environment."
He also offered reassurance for anyone who is driving and possibly worried about parking their car near Raimondi Park.
"We got a lot of different parking places," Freedman explained. "There's a parking lot right across the street, which is under the roof. We have another very large parking facility on the other side of Wood Street. And right next to it we have a lot that supports tailgating as well. All of them are behind secured fences. All of them attended. People are going to be able to park their cars and come to the game safe and secure."
The Ballers aren't just excited to welcome fans. They say they've landed in a neighborhood on the upswing.
"There's a lot of great things that have been happening in this neighborhood," Freedman said. "Even before the Ballers."
"This one we just painted like two months ago," said nearby business owner Israel Montes, showing off a restored Mercedes.
Montes has been right around the corner since the 1980s. Suddenly the surrounding blocks are dotted with renovations and new construction.
"Everything is getting better," Montes said. "You can see all the buildings, housing all around. You got a baseball team coming up."
"This part of West Oakland has actually really changed in the past or six years since I've been here," said Jacob Russell-Snyder. "Brand new housing. There's a new food hall opening up here."
Russell-Snyder makes his daily dog walk past Raimondi Park.
"They have paved the road and I've noticed that the areas that they're going to use for parking lots seem pretty lit and clean" he said.
Freedman thinks some visitors may be pleasantly surprised when they see the refurbished neighborhood surrounding the park. And they're focus will be on baseball.
"You know, the Ballers have been adding momentum to our neighborhood that already had great momentum," the team co-founder said of the neighborhood. "It's gonna be a wonderful place to come and see a baseball game."