Davis Talks to Oakland About Move

Raiders owner Al Davis met today with city and county officials to see if they could agree on a $528-million proposal to bring the NFL team back to Oakland.

“I’m very excited about the prospects. We’ve been working for 12 months to get to this day,” said Don Perata, chairman of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. “This meeting is pivotal. . . . This is a good contract that can only benefit the community and the Raiders.”

The meeting at the Oakland Coliseum was the first time Davis, who moved the team in 1982, has sat down with local officials to discuss the proposed deal. Negotiations with the team began a year ago, and representatives of both sides finished working out details during the past week.

Sacramento also is wooing the Raiders, and Los Angeles is trying to keep the team, which has a 10-year lease to play in the city. Davis, talking briefly with reporters as he went into the meeting, was noncommittal.

“There are no commitments,” he said. “I’m going to this meeting to enjoy it.”

Davis, however, also said he felt positive about the meeting.

“I have positive feelings, or I wouldn’t be here,” he said.

An agreement was not expected after today’s meeting, and any accord would require the approval of the Oakland City Council, county supervisors and the board of the Coliseum, which is owned by the city and county.

Oakland Mayor Lionel Wilson said he was optimistic that the Raiders would return.

“This is the best place to bring the Raiders. I think Los Angeles is looking for an expansion team, and Sacramento isn’t established to handle the team,” Wilson said.

The deal being offered to Davis includes an unconditional 15-year lease and would pay the Raiders a $54.9-million franchise fee and at least $3.7 million a year from the lease of executive seats, guaranteed sellouts of general admission seats and $3.6 million from club seats.