Oakland officials and police union demand transparency in stadium sales

The police union that represents rank-and-file officers in Oakland, California, is demanding proof of initial payments related to the sale of the former home of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, citing potential cuts to public safety at a time when the city You are already struggling to combat crime and are facing a possible budget crisis.

Under a new deal reported by The Mercury News, the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) will pay the city $105 million in a single payment for its 50 percent stake in the Oakland Coliseum.

Under a previous agreement, the buyers would have made incremental payments over a period of several months – $10 million by October 7 and another $95 million by May 30, 2025, in addition to the $5 million which the city has already received, the newspaper reported.

AASEG is separately purchasing the other half of the venue's ownership interest from the A's for $125 million.

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Oakland Coliseum during the Oakland Athletics' final game last month. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

“We demand a real review of what happened in this sale,” Huy Nguyen, president of the Oakland Police Officers' Association, said in a statement. “It's strange and strange that the mayor says one thing and the city council members say another. Why doesn’t everyone know whether payments have been made or not?”

This week, some City Council members and the police union expressed concerns that the promised first payment of $15 million had not been received. Over the summer, lawmakers approved an emergency budget that would go into effect if the payments aren't received.

Proceeds from the deal would be used to pay city workers and operating costs.

The budget would make cuts to police personnel and fire stations. According to Fox San Francisco, lawmakers said the emergency budget would reduce the number of police officers in Oakland to 600, temporarily close five fire stations and pause all city contracts.

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao (Getty Images)

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“CHP (California Highway Patrol) has been here almost every night of the week helping us…reach our high crime areas and major highways,” said OPOA Vice President Sgt. Tim Dolan. “If there is anything that is keeping crime to a minimum right now, it is the Highway Patrol in the city of Oakland.”

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, who faces recall in November, said no emergency budget has been triggered and the deal is on track.

“The AASEG deal is on track. “No contingencies were triggered that did not already exist,” the mayor’s office told Fox News Digital. “All relevant information will be presented to the city council in closed session and at the meetings of the finance and administration committee in accordance with the relevant and statutory notification requirements.”

AASEG's Ray Bobbitt told the news station that his group has made all required payments so far.

Oakland police have pushed back against claims they underreported their crime data, which shows a dramatic drop in crime this year compared to 2023. (Gabrielle Lurie/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

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Fox News Digital has reached out to AASEG. The prosecutor's office declined to comment on the matter.

The A's played their last game at the stadium last week. The team had called the stadium its home since 1968 before owner John Fisher decided to move the franchise to Las Vegas after a long battle between him and the city to keep the team in the Bay Area.