OAKLAND — The A’s breezed through the first step allowing the team 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 agree to 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 a stadium would take away jobs and maritime activity. Kaval expects to have those discussions over the one-year deal, known as an exclusive negotiating agreement.