Port of Oakland OKs A’s wish to study Howard Terminal

OAKLAND — The A’s breezed through the first step allowing them to study building a waterfront ballpark at Howard Terminal. On to the hard part.

Port of Oakland commissioners on Thursday voted 6-0, with one member absent, to enter into exclusive negotiations with the A’s — a yearlong adventure where the only guarantee right now is the two sides will talk.

A’s President Dave Kaval said he was encouraged by the unanimous vote and afterward did not seem too worried by port union workers’ concerns that a stadium could take away jobs and maritime activity. Kaval said he expects to have those discussions during the one-year deal, known as an exclusive negotiating agreement.

“For us, this is an important first step,” Kaval said outside the port commission board room in Jack London Square.

The A’s also expect to enter into the same agreement with the city of Oakland and Alameda County to study the Coliseum, part of Kaval’s “parallel paths” approach. After being shut out of building near Laney College, A’s management said the two remaining options maximize chances of staying in Oakland, as promised.

Oakland City Council needs to approve the Coliseum study.

Under the one-year agreement, the A’s pay the port $100,000 as they study economic feasibility and environmental, transportation and accessibility issues. The 50-acre Howard Terminal, located west of Jack London Square, is cut off by train tracks and is next to large industrial companies. The Coliseum, however, does not need environmental reports.