By Post Staff

The City of Oakland and the African American Sports & Entertainment Group (AASEG) have signed an amended Purchase and Sale Agreement for the City’s half of the Coliseum site.

The new agreement results in a total price increase of 14% to $125 million and accelerates the payment schedule for the City to receive $110 million within the current fiscal year. The previous agreement had a purchase price of $105 million with $60 million being paid by June 30, 2025.

Under the ordinance authorizing the sale, Mayor Sheng Thao secured additional funds to be received within a shorter timeframe to enable the transformative investment and redevelopment of the Coliseum site.

The acceleration of the deal will also allow AASEG to take title and begin development of the site sooner than the original agreement. The additional revenue received by the City of Oakland will increase general fund resources for city-wide services, including public safety and fire services.

The new agreement requires both parties to close the deal within the fiscal year, triggering early defeasement of the last Arena bond payment of $4.2 million. As such, the amendment obligates the buyer to pay all early defeasement costs for the City and County.

According to Google, the defeasance process is a means by which borrowers can replace the collateral used on a mortgage loan with another asset or substitute collateral—usually a portfolio of government bonds backed by the U.S. Treasury, or, typically, the collateral on a mortgage is the home or property

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“This amended agreement with AASEG is a win-win,” said Thao. “The City secured a higher purchase price with faster payments. This structure also allows AASEG to kickstart their historic investment in East Oakland and create jobs and economic opportunity sooner than under the original agreement.”

“We are very grateful for the hard work of the City team in helping reach our amended agreement,” said AASEG Managing Member Ray Bobbitt. “The creation of jobs, housing, art, clean green space and a new generation of Sports and Entertainment at the Coliseum site cannot wait; and will provide a certain pathway to the revitalization of East Oakland through massive investment.”

In a statement, Thao urged Councilmembers Janani Ramachandran and Treva Reid to base their statements on facts and not spread misinformation.

“Councilmembers Reid and Ramachandran were briefed for two hours on Monday by the City Administrator, Finance Department, and the Coliseum Negotiating Team. They were extensively filled in on the amended deal terms, financial conditions of the organization, and provided ample time to seek answers to their questions, including commitments to follow up.

“During that time they were urged as elected officials to only share accurate and verified information with the public given their position as public officials,” said the mayor.

“The Coliseum deal is great for Oakland, and it is neither the cause of nor full solution to the City’s budget deficit,” she continued. “Nonetheless, I expect it to help save us from the most drastic public safety cuts. And, in the meantime, we are creating both temporary and permanent solutions to the decades-long budgetary challenges we face here in Oakland.”

“(The councilmembers) are welcome to be part of the solutions, not (to) deepen mistrust with false information and further divide us,” Thao said.

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By Richard “Razor” Johnson

Hailing from East Oakland, legendary comedian Luenell continues to blaze trails for women in comedy, selling out shows nationwide. In addition to her hit Netflix special, she recently made history as the only Black female comedian to secure a residency in Las Vegas. Luenell also fulfilled a lifelong dream by headlining at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York.

Oakland music legend and community pillar Terry T., aka Mr. Community, shared, “Luenell supported us back in the Tony! Toni! Toné!  days. We’ve stayed close, and I’m proud of her as someone from Oakland who overcame the odds and succeeded.”

Luenell’s residency runs Sunday and Monday nights at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club in Las Vegas.

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