Oakland Council Passes 2nd Deal for Raider Return

The City Council on Tuesday night approved by a 6-1 vote a revised deal designed to return the Raiders to the Oakland Coliseum.

The new operating, marketing and loan agreements will now go before the Alameda County Board of Supervisors later this month.

The City Council “no” vote was cast by Mary Moore, who warned that the return of the NFL Raiders could mean the departure of the Oakland Athletics baseball team.

“The A’s do not like this,” the city councilwoman said. “If the Raiders come, the great chance is the A’s will be gone in 1995.”

But City Manager Henry Gardner said a 1995 escape clause in the new A’s lease--approved by the council on an 8-0 vote--was “not an ominous threat,” because the team has the right to terminate its current lease anyway.

John Sutter, chairman of the advisory committee that assisted city officials, told the council that the new deal “offers the best opportunity to maintain the present sports franchises and to bring the Raiders back to Oakland.”

If the supervisors approve the pact, Raiders owner Al Davis is expected to announce--for a second time--his team’s return to Oakland from Los Angeles.

In March the City Council approved a deal that touched off a revolt by citizens who felt it would be too costly, further burdening the financially strapped city.

Negotiations collapsed, and the parties returned to the bargaining table.

The big difference in the new pact addresses taxpayers’ concerns.

Under the old one, the Raiders were guaranteed $602 million over 15 years plus $53 million for Coliseum renovation. The new deal has no guarantees except a $31.9-million advance and $60.5 million for Coliseum expansion, to be financed by $120 million in bonds.

The Raiders will sell their own tickets, sharing a percentage of revenue from premium-priced seats with the city and county.