Lots of potential problems if A's move to Fremont

My Word: Lots of potential problems if A's move ballpark to Fremont

[origonal link from Argus]

By Vinnie Bacon

My Word

Posted: 02/03/2009 12:01:00 AM PST

IN HIS Jan. 29 My Word, Dominic Dutra wrote that the Oakland Athletics coming to Fremont could "lead to significant economic growth for years to come," and that the impacts could be addressed to "an extent acceptable to most reasonable people." 

There are many who disagree with this optimistic assessment. 

A number of these concerned residents have joined together to form the Fremont Citizens Network, a group that feels that the negative impacts of a ballpark would far outweigh the benefits to the city. 

Fremont Citizens Network is educating people about the reality of building a ballpark in Fremont.

Dutra doesn't mention that the ballpark is conditional on the city changing the general plan to allow for 3,200 homes to be constructed west of Interstate 880, an area that is zoned for industrial uses that could bring high-paying jobs to Fremont. 

The homes would add children to our already overcrowded school system and require city services in a time when we're already having trouble paying for the existing services.

These homes would be in a redevelopment area. Unlike most other homes in Fremont, their property taxes would go to the Redevelopment Agency where they could not be used for police and fire services.

We would agree that an independent economic study needs to be done. No one has presented a concrete explanation of how a ballpark generates economic growth. We're just supposed to trust that it will happen.

The economic analysis done by the A's shows that the project would cost the general fund (which pays for police and fire services) more than $1 million a year in the long run. This analysis was done before the current downturn in the economy. 

Clearly, retail estimates should now be revised downward and sales tax revenue is the key component of the project providing revenue to Fremont.

The project proponents brag about the stadium creating jobs for Fremont. But their own analysis shows that these employees would only earn an average of $26,000 per year.

The traffic problems the stadium would bring are presented as a minor problem that can be easily mitigated. The A's have estimated that a game would generate an average of 11,000 car trips, the equivalent of five lanes of freeway traffic running at capacity for a full hour.

We simply don't have the roads to handle this level of traffic. According to the A's schedule, a game would coincide with the evening rush hour on one in six week nights (about 42 times a year).

Attendees trying to avoid the parking fee (currently $25) undoubtedly would drive around looking for free spaces in nearby neighborhoods.

The comparison to San Jose is not appropriate. 

San Jose already had a downtown with many high-paying jobs before the HP Pavilion was built. The proposed site in Fremont is between an auto plant and a residential community. What would support businesses in this area when the ballpark is empty? 

And if ballparks generate significant economic growth, why hasn't Oakland seen this growth in the 40 years that the Coliseum and Oracle Arena have been there?

Economic analyses are always estimates. Anyone would have to agree that this project brings significant risks to our city's economy.

We believe that the mistake here would be taking on such a risky endeavor, especially during our current economic situation.