Oakland Coliseum site owners say arena a key part of the area's future
The imminent departure of the A's certainly makes it look like the Oakland Coliseum stadium is nearing the end of its life as a professional sporting venue.
The new owners of the site told KPIX that there will need to be a conversation about what happens next to the building. But the arena that sits on the Coliseum site is another story altogether.
"If you had a vehicle and it reached 60, if you took care of it, and it was pristine, it would become a classic," explained Ray Bobbitt, founder of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group. "And so, that's the arena."
As the head of the group that now owns the Oakland Coliseum site, Bobbitt said his vintage 1966 arena will now be the centerpiece of whatever comes next here.
"In every iteration of this site, the arena stays," Bobbitt said. "And is a focal point of any first phase development."
In fact, the arena has done quite well in the Warriors' absence. Bobbitt said it's a perfect mix of a classic room, at just the right scale, in a great location.
"The intersection of that much transportation is very unusual," he added. "And I think people just love watching shows here because it's easy to get to, but also, this is the experience of this place as an institution at this point. It's very comparable to maybe the Forum in Los Angeles. It's just one of those venues that is sort of timeless."
So, fans mourning the departure of the A's can take some solace. One-half of the Coliseum is going to stay, and the new owners have big plans for it.
"So, we're really excited to sort of project that to the public," Bobbitt said. "Make sure that they know that as we sort of close these chapters within the stadium, we open these new chapters with the foundation of the arena."