The Future of Oakland Coliseum

By Natalie Garcia, <element style=

After the A’s announcement in November of 2018 regarding their potential new ballpark to be built at Howard Terminal, the city of Oakland and Alameda County propose turning the current stadium into a retail and community space.
The plans include developing housing units, educational institutions, and retail stores. The overall goal is to bring a sense of community and job opportunities to East Oakland Residents.
Oakland Councilman Larry Reid has proposed to tear down the Coliseum itself and utilize the 157 acre site for reconstruction.
Councilman Reid agrees that there is a lot more work to do in order to make this proposal a reality. He is glad to see the long-term residents are finally being recognized and heard after being overlooked and turned down after years of seeking investment and development.
Lydia Monatez, a 43 year-old lifelong Oakland Resident and Boys and Girls Club Volunteer, emphasized that working with children has given the program a sense of community.
“The Boys and Girls Club here in Oakland is only a small portion of community and yet the youth here are seeking to expand and benefit their community in small service events,” Monatez said in an interview. “I could only imagine if the Coliseum was turned into a giant redevelopment full of opportunity and growth, what it would bring to this overlooked area and its long time residents.”
After growing up on the east side of Oakland all of her life, Monatez spent most of her childhood at the Coliseum with friends and family. She was able to experience the Coliseum in its prime, as well as watch its value diminish over time.
“The neighborhoods and surrounding areas around the Coliseum were never granted the expansion or considered in the gentrification happening all around the city, so the fact that discussion and plans of this redevelopment are actually happening, gives residents hope for bettering their communities,” Monatez said.
The plans for Oakland’s Coliseum are still in developing stages with no official dates but City and County Councilmembers are working hard to turn these plans into reality in the near future.