At a press conference this morning,Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf called the A's plan to build their next ballpark adjacent to Laney College a "very exciting announcement." But she tempered her remarks with concerns about how the stadium would be a force for gentrification in the predominantly low-income and immigrant neighborhoods that surround Laney College.[br]
Schaaf said the A's are also aware of the displacement pressures a ballpark will contain, but added that the team is committed to working with the city to protect long-term residents, or small businesses,and the area's cultural assets.
As to her preference, Schaaf said she had wanted the A's to build at other sites.
"portion of why I preferred other sites, or " she said — referring to the Coliseum Area where the A's currently play,and Howard Terminal at the Port of Oakland — "is that there was less existing community to disrupt."…
Source: eastbayexpress.com