Path To Football-Only Stadium In Oakland Not Without Hurdles
OAKLAND (KCBS) - For a long time, the idea of replacing the Oakland Coliseum with a stadium designed exclusively for football suitable for both the Raiders and the 49ers seemed nearly impossible.
The biggest hurdle by far would still be convincing voters that investing $880 million was worth it, said Scott Haggerty, an Alameda County supervisor who sits on the Joint Powers Authority that runs the Coliseum.
KCBS' Scott Haggerty Reports:
"We can't leave them out of the equation. They are the taxpayers here," he said. "They have to be totally engaged in this process, and they have to convince me that this is something that they want."
The advantages, Haggerty concedes, would be tremendous: a 20-minute ride from San Francisco for stadium goers, and a landmark that might make Oakland a more world class city.
Plus a feasibility study has already been conducted.
"We have everything that these teams need to succeed and I think it's important to show them that we can do it," he said.
Word that the 49ers timeline for building a stadium in Santa Clara could be delayed by a year spurred the Joint Powers Authority form an ad hoc committee tasked with taking another look at redeveloping the site.
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