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FREMONT, Calif. -- The Oakland A's are in the final stages
of negotiating to build a new ballpark in Fremont on land leased by
Cisco Systems Inc., a city official said. The team's co-owner Lew Wolff wants to build a ballpark village
including thousands of homes and a retail center on a 143-acre
parcel of land, City Manager Fred Diaz said. "I think we are the lead candidate for the new home of the
A's," Diaz said. "If there's a deal to make for both the A's and
the city of Fremont, then we'll find it and make that happen." Wolff is interested in moving the team because it appears
unlikely the city of Oakland will approve a new stadium. He met April 3 with Diaz, Fremont City Council members and Daren
Fields, the city's economic development director. An agreement with Cisco would clear a major hurdle allowing the
team to move to Fremont, a city of 210,000 people about 20 miles
south of Oakland. The next step would be for the team to submit a development
application for the site, which is adjacent to Interstate 880. Wolff and a Cisco spokeswoman declined to comment on the
negotiations. Cisco leased the property in 2000 and has an option to buy the
land between 2007 and 2010.
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