Fremont is closer to becoming the new home of the A's

According to City Manager Fred Diaz:

Oakland A's co-owner Lew Wolff is close to completing negotiations with
Cisco Systems Inc. for a 143-acre parcel, a deal that could clear a major hurdle
in allowing the team to move to Fremont, City Manager Fred Diaz said.
"I
think we are the lead candidate for the new home of the A's," Diaz said. "If
there's a deal to make for both the A's and the city of Fremont, then we'll find
it and make that happen."
The Fremont city manager's comments came after
Wolff briefly met April 3 with Fremont City Council members and staffers,
including Diaz and Daren Fields, Fremont's economic development director.

According to this same article, which ran on the front page of today's Oakland Tribune:

Talks have progressed so far that only a few issues, such as
stadium naming rights, remainunresolved, Diaz said: "That is my
understanding through (talking with) Lew Wolff."

It remains to be seen whether Fremont will actually become a reality or not. Newballpark blog has much more here and here.

I know a lot of Oakland A's fans are hoping against hope that the A's stay in Oakland, but I have never seen that happening. The city of Oakland has far more pressing and important issues to deal with than worrying about finding a way to keep the A's in town. And most people are still stinging from the after effects of bringing Al Davis and his Raiders back to Oakland, which ruined a perfectly decent ballpark and screwed things up with local county and city leaders. No way a new ballpark could be built in Oakland without substantial city and county assistance and after the Raiders' deal no one is willing to put their political career on the line to really make it happen. Sure, they will pay some lip service and make the right noises and at least a gesture to try and keep the A's in town, but in reality nobody really wants to spend too much time and effort on it.

As long as the A's stay in the Bay Area, I am fine with that. The only problem with the Fremont location is transportation, which I am confident will be worked out in time.