New ballpark efforts
Kaval sought a new stadium for the Oakland A's. In September 2017, Kaval announced that the A's had selected site near downtown Oakland owned by the Peralta Community College District as their desired location after considering the current Coliseum site and a Howard Terminal site at the Port of Oakland.[23] The selection was immediately met with local opposition from students, teachers, and the nearby communities of Chinatown and Eastlake.[23][24] The selection was also brought concern from Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf and former mayor Ron Dellums as the move would have displaced low-income and immigrant families and businesses from the surrounding area.[23][25] Despite the concerns, Kaval attempted to move forward with the site and targeted an opening during the 2023 Major League Baseball season.[26] In December 2017, the Peralta Community College District board turned down the A's proposal, leaving Kaval to backtrack to his lesser preferred locations.[27][28]
Nearly a year after the Peralta site rejection, Kaval and the A's announced the Howard Terminal site at the Port of Oakland as their primary focus in November 2018.[29] Concerns and community opposition to the project was voiced primarily from the maritime industry,[30][31][32] but also saw transportation[33][34] and environmental[35][36] groups become vocal about the site choice. Kaval progressed the project and on July 20, 2021, the Oakland City Council voted 6-1 (with one abstain vote) to approve a non-binding term sheet to continue negotiations with the A's for the new ballpark.[37] However, Kaval said that the team did not agree to those terms since it was not the term sheet the team provided.[37] Subsequently, on April 20, 2023, it was reported that the Athletics had purchased a parcel of land from Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa for a new stadium in Las Vegas, near the Las Vegas Strip; subsequently, Oakland mayor Sheng Thao announced the cessation of negotiations with the team regarding the Howard Terminal site, effectively ending the proposed ballpark project.[38]
After the Las Vegas Stadium Authority approved lease, non-relocation and development documents for the New Las Vegas Stadium and the Athletics' relocation to Las Vegas, Kaval announced his resignation from the team.[39][40]
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