Former Athletics Pitcher Dave Stewart Bids $115M on City's Stake in Coliseum Site
January 17, 2021
Former Oakland Athletics pitcher Dave Stewart has submitted a $115 million bid to purchase the city's 50 percent stake in the site of the Oakland Coliseum, according to the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser and Matt Kawahara.
Stewart, an Oakland native, said he plans to redevelop the area, potentially with a new stadium, if the Athletics' plans for a new ballpark at Howard Terminal do not materialize.
The 63-year-old spent eight years with his hometown ballclub over two stints. He helped win the 1989 World Series for the A's while being named series MVP in the process. Now Stewart wants to be a part of the franchise's future.
The city of Oakland confirmed it received Stewart's bid and will begin an "extensive, transparent and public review process."
Regardless if the A's leave for Howard Terminal or remain on the Coliseum site, Stewart wants to make sure the area in East Oakland isn't forgotten in the process.
"To me, the most important thing is for Oakland to keep the A's free and clear—even if they do it at the current stadium site, that's fine with me," Stewart said. "But you still have to do something to improve that area for the residents and make it a more attractive destination. ... I'm just trying to do what I've always tried to do—something good in the area I'm from."
Per the Chronicle:
"Now an analyst on their pre- and post-game TV broadcasts, [Stewart] said he has talked with team president Dave Kaval about how the Coliseum site would be used and would be happy to work with the A's. Stewart also said he still views the site as a viable option for a new A's ballpark and he's submitting plans to the city that both do and do not include a stadium there."
The Athletics' lease with the Coliseum ends in 2024, and the team had planned to move to the new, privately financed stadium at Howard Terminal by then, but those plans are far from solid.
In the meantime, Stewart has his own plans for the land on which the Coliseum sits—with or without the A's.