Ongoing Coliseum negotiations described as 'fruitful,' but there's still no deal

AC Transit is eyeing a parcel tax for 2026; Pleasanton is planning to dip into pension trust to help balance its budget; Kaiser CEO is backing Lee mayoral IE

☕️MORNING BUZZ

—A hastily organized special closed session meeting on Friday again produced no resolution for ongoing negotiations between Alameda County and the group seeking to buy its half-interest in the Coliseum.

There was no report out of closed session, County Counsel Donna Ziegler said on Friday afternoon. (As of the weekend, it’s questionable whether this special meeting was noticed within the requisite 24-hour period.)

Supervisor David Haubert, as he has done several times recently, described negotiations with the Oakland Acquisition Company in a positive light.

“We had a fruitful session today,” Haubert said. “We’ve seen great progress.”

The county's negotiators will meet today with the Oakland Acquisition Company, Haubert said on Friday, although a special closed session meeting has not been noticed, as of Sunday night.

There’s been clear signals recently that county supervisors want to get this deal done and off their plate. It remains unclear what the stumbling blocks are to consummating an agreement.

In a sign the proposed deal hit a standstill, Supervisors Nate Miley and Haubert last week asked to sit in at the negotiating table.

In the latest episode of the East Bay Insiders Podcast, Interim Oakland Mayor Kevin Jenkins rebuffed my suggestion that the ability of the Oakland Acquisition Company (OAC) and the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (the two groups have overlapping interests) have the financial wherewithal to purchase both halves of the Coliseum property.

Last year, AASEG missed payment milestones for Oakland’s half of the property, and there have been questions raised about the ability of OAC has the ability to finance the purchase of the county’s half.

“I think you’re barking up the wrong tree,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins added his support for the proposed deal also includes a side benefit—ridding Oakland and the county of A’s owner John Fisher, who is currently assigned as the buyer of the county’s interest in the Coliseum.

—More inside:

• AC Transit is eyeing a parcel tax in 2026.

• Oakland Councilmember Ken Houston is unconventional. His latest videos risk alienating his colleagues.

• Pleasanton also has serious budget concerns. Its plan to limit budget cuts this year will rely on an unconventional solution.

• Former Alameda Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer’s latest move continues a her a history of advocating against the city’s interests.

• Campaign finance data for the past weekend, including a notable donor to the IE backing Barbara Lee for Oakland mayor.

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