Special Meeting of Alameda County Board of Supervisors – Coliseum Complex Update – May 26, 2026
Special Meeting of Alameda County Board of Supervisors – Coliseum Complex Update – May 26, 2026
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors held a special meeting on May 26, 2026, beginning with a closed session at approximately 2:15 PM. After recessing and reconvening into open session, the board received an oral report from County Counsel Andrea Weddle on the status of negotiations regarding the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Complex. Following public testimony and board deliberations, the board voted unanimously to direct staff to notice and post a special meeting for Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM to consider a non-binding term sheet among the county, Coliseum Way Partners (CWP), and Oakland Acquisition Company (OAC).
Public Comments & Testimony
- A total of 27 in-person speakers and no online speakers addressed the board. The public comment period lasted approximately one hour.
- Oakland City Council President Kevin Jenkins and Councilmember Ken Houston spoke first, presenting a city ordinance (No. 13842, passed May 6, 2025) directing the city to convey its interest to OAC and urging the county to do the same so that the property could be under single ownership. Both committed to scheduling a special meeting of the city council to align with the county's timeline.
- Multiple community members, representing organizations such as the Unity Council, Oakland Building Trades Council, Youth Uprising, Castlemont High School, local businesses, and the Oakland Roots and Soul soccer club, voiced strong support for the transaction. Speakers highlighted the Coliseum's potential for economic revitalization, youth engagement, job creation, and cultural renewal in East Oakland.
- No speakers opposed the transaction or expressed concerns about the process.
Discussion Items
- Oral Report from County Counsel: Andrea Weddle provided a detailed history of the Coliseum transaction, including the 2019 disposition agreement with CWP for $85 million plus annual subsidy payments, the ongoing litigation (Golesby v. County) challenging compliance with the Surplus Lands Act, and the 2025 assignment to OAC with board consent. She noted that the final bond debt for the arena was paid off on February 1, 2026, and that a summary judgment hearing is scheduled for August 4, 2026. She confirmed that a non-binding term sheet has been negotiated and will be presented on May 28.
- Board Deliberations: Supervisors Marquez, Miley, Fortunato Bass, and President Haubert each spoke. They acknowledged the complexity of the deal, the need for transparency, and the importance of protecting the county's fiduciary interests. Supervisor Miley emphasized his long history with the site and the need to revitalize East Oakland. Supervisor Marquez raised environmental health and safety as priorities. All expressed confidence that the term sheet would bring the deal closer to completion.
Key Outcomes
- The board voted unanimously (Supervisor Tam excused) to direct staff to notice and post a special meeting for Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM. The agenda will include a proposed non-binding term sheet for the Coliseum Complex transaction among the county, CWP, and OAC.
- No reportable action was taken during the closed session.
- The board committed to expediting the process, with final definitive documents expected to return for approval after the May 28 meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. It's time to call to order our meeting of the Board of Supervisors, a special meeting for Tuesday, May 26th. I'll ask the clerk to please call roll to establish our quorum. Supervisor Marquez present. Supervisor Tam, present. Supervisor Miley excuse Supervisor Cortinado Bass. Present. President Howbert. Present. We have a quorum. Very good. The first item that we have before us is public comment on closed session items. This would be for items only on closed session. A chance for members of the public, both in person and online to make public comment on those closed session items. And we'll ask the clerk to please call the speakers. Two in person speakers are Ray Bobbitt and Jonathan Jones. Thank you. Any uh online speakers. Blair Beekman, go ahead. Hi, Blair Beekman. Um happy end of the month to everyone. Um, um I had a couple uh items about closed session things. One uh with all you're having three items working with the county coliseum arena complex issues. Um I've said previously uh good luck in how you're gonna be working with the city of Oakland. It can be tough mediation, and uh just good luck that uh all sides can be uh wanting to be you know positive and moving forward, and then I nicely mentioned you know the work of the AA SEG previously that is a major part of the future of the Coliseum uh process. I think they can be uh a good good faith actor, I guess is the term. I think they can be helpful. Good luck in their efforts. How they can help uh offer a good voice in the mediation process. Um, and I also wanted to quickly mention that uh with all the other uh negotiation items you'll be working on uh labor issues, uh potential litigation issues on the closed session agenda today. To quickly offer, I was told that somehow you're gonna have uh uh it possibly there may be flock issues involved with this. And I wanted to clear, I wrote yourselves a letter on Friday that I hope you read that I hope we can clarify when the flock item will be returned to the Board of Supervisors in July and what sort of process that can be. And if we can talk clearly on that in the next month or so, so we can all have a clear idea what to expect in July. That would be hopeful. Uh thank you. There are no more speakers. Very good. If there are no other speakers for closed session items, we will now recess into closed session. Thank you. We're good. Good afternoon, good evening, everyone. We're going to um reconvene from our closed session discussion. I'll ask the clerk to please call the roll to establish our quorum. Supervisor Marquez, present. Supervisor Tam, excuse. Supervisor Miley. Supervisor Cotonado Bass present. President Haubert. Present. We have a quorum.
openpublica.com