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OAKLAND — The Port of Oakland Commission approved a term sheet giving the Oakland A's four years to obtain land-use permits and conduct an environmental review for a baseball stadium near Jack London Square.
The commissioners voted 7-0 Monday to give the Athletics the initial approval to lease the 50-acre Howard Terminal.
A's President Dave Kaval said he won't need four years to get the deal properly arranged. That's enough time to get the stadium built and opened, he said.
A draft of the environmental impact report "will come out on the street this summer," Kaval said, adding that he predicts it to be complete by the end of the year.
Mark Everton, an official with Visit Oakland, told a crowd of supporters gathered for the Port's vote, that it's time to see more Athletics fans than Giants diehards.
"Virtually everyday I watch people lined up wearing black and orange," said Everton. "It's just not right. This is our town. We need to have green and gold here."
One fan told KCBS Radio that it's important to keep a pro sports team in Oakland with the Golden State Warriors relocating to San Francisco next season and the Raiders planning to move to Las Vegas in 2020.
The plan now heads to City Council for approval.