49ers approach RAIDERS about joint stadium

[Bay Area Jat]

Here's the latest twist to the Bay Area's topsy-turvy stadium politics: Word is the San Francisco 49ers have informally approached the Oakland Raiders about building a new home -- together.

The stadium, which would be shared by the two rivals, very well could be in Santa Clara, where the Niners are pursuing new digs next to Great America.

Niners executive Jed York, the son of team owners John and Denise York, said that while a joint stadium idea has merit, there has been no contact with the Raiders on the subject.

"I think it's a good idea, but we haven't gone down that road yet,'' he said. "First we need to work on Santa Clara, and make sure we can actually get a stadium down there.''

That's not what we are hearing from inside the Raiders organization, and from others in the know who have contacts with the Niners.

Those sources tell us John and Jed York approached the Raiders management in a casual setting in the latter half of the football season about the possibility of teaming up.

Raiders chief executive Amy Trask said only, "We are enthusiastically focused on the 2007 football season, and don't believe this is an appropriate time to discuss stadium opportunities. ...We are playing in a nice stadium, which our teams and fans enjoy.''

Wild as it may sound, the economics for a Forty-Raider stadium just could make sense for both teams.

For starters, the 49ers -- after nearly 10 years of trying -- still haven't found a stadium plan that pencils out financially given that football is only played about 10 times a year.

Hooking up with the Raiders for a stadium would instantly double the usage and could make financial sense.

Plus, the teams could get a big boost from the National Football League, which this past season agreed to kick in $300 million to the New York Giants and Jets to build a joint stadium at New Jersey's Meadowlands.

The thinking goes that if the Niners and Raiders could get a similar handout from the NFL -- and that's still a big if -- it would go a long way to helping them get over the stadium money hump.

As for the Raiders, their current 16-year-lease at the remodeled Oakland Coliseum is set to expire in four years -- or about the time the Niners hope to have a new stadium built.

The Raiders, despite upgraded football digs, are still unhappy about playing in Oakland -- but currently have few real prospects for moving out of the area again.

What's more, owner Al Davis -- who only recently was forced to spend a bundle to buy out the unhappy heirs of a silent partner -- doesn't have the cash to build a stadium on his own, sources say. And given his past battles with the NFL, he doesn't appear to have many friends in the league looking to do him any big favors.

"It really may be the one option for the Raiders that makes sense,'' says one NFL insider, who asked not to be named.

Disparity dustup: Interesting and ironic play over at the ever-political BART board the other day involving a $448,439 contract to investigate whether minority contractors are getting their fair share of transportation work in the Bay Area.

The sticking point: The contract didn't go to a minority firm.

Under current law, agencies like BART that want to keep their affirmative action programs going now have to prove that minority companies aren't getting their share.

To make the "disparity" case, BART and seven other area transportation agencies went hunting for a company to do a study.

Ironically, the initial winner of the bid -- selected by a panel of seven judges -- was CRA International, a multinational firm based in Boston, with a local Oakland team.

One of the losers was Mason Tillman Associates, a local firm that has already done similar studies for both Oakland and Alameda County, and is owned by Eleanor Mason Ramsey - whose husband is retired Alameda County Superior Judge Henry Ramsey, who recently swore in new Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums.

Needless to say, the selection of a predominantly white outside firm over a local minority woman didn't go over well with the minority BART board members. Nonetheless, after a very vocal debate, the "disparity" study contract was handed to CRA by a 5-3 vote.

Thanks to a technical glitch, however, the vote had to be retaken -- a move that promised even more acrimony, as groups like the Oakland Black Caucus called for the contract to be tossed.

Not to worry.

When it came time for the second vote Thursday, BART staff -- apparently seeing the writing on the wall -- announced that the selection of CRA had been flawed (they had subbed in a subcontractor at the last minute) and recommended the bid be tossed.

Then, for good measure, General Manager Tom Margro -- apparently anticipating that the other transit agencies might lose patience with BART and strike out on their own -- recommended BART do their own separate study as well.

And the BART board agreed by a unanimous vote.

The contract will now be re-bid.

"We might have the same issue come up again, " said BART Board member Tom Radulovich. "But I wouldn't be surprised if other companies -- having seen what just happened -- think better about putting their names into the mix.''

On the other hand, Radulovich said, "for a lot of people, it was a happy ending."

Gavin's gold: In a bit of pre-election muscle flexing, Mayor Gavin Newsom this week is poised to report having raised more than $600,000 -- all in checks of $500 or less.

But even with the formidable bank account -- and no announced challengers -- Newsom campaign manager Eric Jaye says the mayor is under no illusion that he'll get a free pass this fall.

In fact, the professionally paranoid Jaye says the new public financing rules approved by the Board of Supervisors virtually assures that some of those same board members who voted for it -- most notably Ross Mirkarimi -- will mount a challenge, even though Mirkarimi has repeatedly denied any intention of running.

Under the rules, any candidate who raises $135,000 is eligible for $450,000 in matching taxpayer money, with a $7 million public kitty available on a dollar-for-dollar match after that.

[Fuck Your Existence]

worst bullshit idea ive heard in awhile

[M Dogg™]

don't do it Al. They'll jerk you like the Giants did the Jets.

Besides, then the Raiders will completely out of Oakland, they'll only be Oakland by name. Shit, moved out the ghetto to be with the San Fran liberal elite, FUCK THAT!! When the Lakers moved outta the ghetto, they at least moved INTO LA. The Raider should stay in the hood, and if they get a stadium outside of Oakland, it should be in LA.

[rik]

The 49ers deny they ever approach the Raiders about this.

[swangin and bangin]

that aint gona happen

[GangstaBoogy]

worst bullshit idea ive heard in awhile

[Sparegeez]

LOL at the Raiders trying to leave Oakland.

[Don Jacob]

fuck that if the raiders are going to leave oaland they better come back to la

[swangin and bangin]

fuck that if the raiders are going to leave oaland they better come back to la

you got the vikings goin to LA

[Don Jacob]

fuck that

[M Dogg™]

The Vikings ain't leaving MN. Minnesota always talks tuff, but when the team is like, we are leaving, then they build a new stadium. Both the Twins and the U of Minnesota are BOTH getting new stadiums. If push comes to shove, they'll stick the Viks with the U of M, but there is heavy talks to build them a stadium in the 'burbs.

Raiders need to go back to LA. Oakland has a wacked stadium, right now the Raiders need change and their image is suffereing. No one wants to play for them, so maybe a change to LA would be good.

["THE" MoSav]

worst bullshit idea ive heard in awhile

co sign that

[Bay Area Jat]

yea fuck that shit it will never happen

["THE" MoSav]

yea fuck that shit it will never happen

better not

[J$crILLa]

fuck that....

i always thought it was wack the JETS played at GIANTS STADIUM

so now the RAIDERS wanna play in 49ERS STADIUM

LMAO