Yesterday, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors approved the conditional sale of the Oakland Coliseum. The item passed unanimously, and the mood in the room was decidedly celebratory. Maybe that’s because, as Supervisor Nate Miley said, it’s been a long road to selling the Coliseum.
"People thought that this was a done deal many moons ago," said Miley.
Supervisor Miley was careful to point out that the sale isn’t a done deal. The current agreement is set to close June 30, 2026. At that point the African American Sports and Entertainment Group or AASEG will be the sole owner of the Coliseum.
Miley, who represents East Oakland, says that he sees the transfer as a form of reparations.
"We recognize the fact that by having a team of African Americans take the interest in the property," said Miley, "would be a tremendous, historic, transformative undertaking."
As part of the agreement, AASEG is responsible for working with community members to redevelop the area. Oakland is also one step closer to receiving the $125 million they expect from the sale, but payments won’t start until next year.
