Lone Wolff: A's owner unwilling to share Oakland Coliseum site with Raiders

While we talk about the many stumbling blocks the Raiders have faced in their efforts to get a new stadium built, the one lingering issue is the A's and their owner, Lew Wolff. Their mascot looking ever more symbolic of the elephant in the room that could squash any plans the Raiders and the city and county attempt to put in place.

For some time now the A's have made efforts to leave Oakland. But when it became obvious that wasn't going to happen, they decided to sign a new 10-year deal with the coliseum and ostensibly squat on it, hindering the Raiders' efforts to build a new stadium on the current site.

The entire project that has been in the plans for the past couple years has also involved a new stadium for the A's and originally the Warriors as well.

Today is the deadline for presenting that plan to the city and county. The man charged with laying out the details is Floyd Kephart, who was said to have been ready to present those ideas last Friday, though that presentation didn't occur then. It's a plan Wolff is not only skeptical about, but one he is seemingly unwilling to entertain.

"I don't want this fellow (Kephart) telling the A's what to do,'' Wolff told the Bay Area News Group. "We have no desire to compete with the Raiders for PSLs (personal seat licenses) and sponsors. We just don't see that."

"We have thoroughly investigated things, and there is no good way to put two brand-new venues at the Coliseum site. If the Raiders are going to be there, then I don't know what will happen. We'll have to sit down with (baseball commissioner) Rob (Manfred) and see what to do.''

Wolff went on to add that he is not looking at other venues in the Bay Area, which would suggest that he wants to coliseum land for him and him alone. And since he has the contract to remain in the Coliseum long term, it threatens to upend any plans the Raiders might have to get a stadium built in Oakland.

Follow @LeviDamien