Roots Stadium Heads to Alameda Council After Airport No

The Alameda City Council decides on Wednesday, Nov. 4, whether to go around the Alameda County Airport Land Use Commission, which voted Sept. 16 to reject the Oakland Roots' plan for an 8,000-seat interim stadium at 1150 and 1220 Harbor Bay Parkway in Alameda, CA. It takes a two-thirds council vote to make that call on the city's own.

• Where: The Roots and Soul training facility at 1150 and 1220 Harbor Bay Parkway, the old Raiders headquarters in the Harbor Bay Business Park, right next to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK).
• When: Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the 7 p.m. regular council meeting, City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Avenue. You can comment in person or on Zoom.
• What: Modular stands, stadium lights and temporary facilities for up to 24 pro matches a year with up to 8,000 fans, for up to five years.
• Who decides: The City Council, by a two-thirds vote. Staff recommend yes. The Planning Board would then take up permits.

Why did the airport commission reject the Roots stadium?

Commissioners worried about glare from the lights, trash drawing birds into flight paths, and a big crowd with nowhere to go if something went wrong near the runways.

Here's the twist: county staff had recommended a yes. The vote was 4-0-1 to reject, with the airport's representative abstaining, and commissioners said they'd hear a revised plan.

Why is Alameda skipping a second try at the airport commission?

Time. The Roots want to be ready for the 2027 season, and the city staff report for the Nov. 4 hearing says the commission meets rarely and often can't get a quorum.

Staff say the airport's worries are handled:

• LED lights that are shielded and point down, plus the city's Dark Skies Ordinance.
• Trash handled under rules run by the Alameda County Waste Management Authority and Alameda Public Works, so it doesn't attract birds.
• A 24/7 contact number airport crews can call if a match causes a problem.

The Federal Aviation Administration also found no airport hazards, and staff note the 63,000-seat Coliseum sits inside the same OAK airport zone.

When would the Roots play in Alameda?

There's no first match date yet. The goal is the 2027 season, but the Planning Board still has to approve the permits.

The Roots have had four home fields in seven years. A permanent stadium at Howard Terminal in Oakland is in exclusive talks with the port, but staff say that's several years off. Harbor Bay is the bridge.

What this means for Alameda

Picture up to 8,000 fans heading to the far end of Bay Farm for about two hours of soccer, up to 24 nights a year. The city isn't putting in money, and staff expect a boost for local businesses and hotel tax. The traffic plan leans on a bike valet, shuttles and managed parking.

For the backstory, see our coverage of the Planning Board's August workshop on the Roots plan, and follow more Alameda development news.