By Steven Tavares.
With the hopes of Raiders ownership flagging over the possibility NFL owners will approve their relocation bid to Los Angeles this week comes a report the team recently made disparaging comments toward Oakland and Alameda County officials during talks with league executives and owners.
The Raiders contend elected officials in the East Bay “intentionally stalled in negotiations, admitted to acting in bad faith, making false promises and lying,” the Orange County Register reportedMonday afternoon.
The team also told NFL officials that Oakland is not a viable market and the O.co Coliseum is the worst facility in the league, according to the article.
This week, NFL owners are scheduled to possibly approve two or more franchises for relocation to proposed stadiums in Inglewood or Carson in Los Angeles County. In recent days, various reports suggest the Raiders may be on the outside looking in when it comes to relocation in favor of bids by the St. Louis Rams and San Diego Chargers.
Another report on Monday, suggested the Raiders will turn their attention to San Antonio for a new home if they are not approved for a return to Los Angeles.
While the Raiders argument to NFL owners is likely intent on discrediting their current home to curry support for relocation, the impetus for at least one criticism—allegations East Bay officials made false promises—appears to be a reference to former Oakland mayor Jean Quan’s offer to the team of free land at the current coliseum complex.
The article references a proposal by officials to contribute 170 acres to the project. Last week, current Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf reiterated an offer to pay for infrastructure costs and at least 60 acres of the southern portion of the coliseum complex for a new privately-financed football stadium.
The reported offer by Quan, a vestigial tail remaining from her ill-fated 2014 re-election campaign, would likely be an illegal gift of public lands.
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