Sacramento’s bid for the Raiders appeared dead...

Sacramento’s bid for the Raiders appeared dead Wednesday as a midnight deadline approached for the expiration of the city’s offer to pay the team a $50 million franchise fee to move to the state capital.

In the wake of a Sacramento City Council vote Tuesday night to kill the offer, there was no word from Raider owner Al Davis as to when he would make up his mind between the remaining bidders, Oakland and Los Angeles.

The Oakland City Council and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will meet March 12 to consider adoption of that city’s $660 million bid for the Raiders. Negotiations continue on the Los Angeles bid.

Gregg Lukenbill, chief promoter of the Sacramento bid, meanwhile expressed some bitterness at Davis’ refusal to agree to Sacramento’s terms. Lukenbill concurred with the city council’s decision to end the bid because, he said, he did not think the offer to Davis could be improved in the future. And he felt Davis had had every opportunity to fully consider it.