Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis will not ask Oakland for a one-year extension on the team's current lease for O.Co Coliseum, according to the San Francisco Chronicle's Vic Tafur. The decision could be a ploy to force a long-term deal. There is a $600 million funding gap for a new stadium, according to the Chronicle.
Raiders won’t ask for extension to play at O.Co Coliseum
Mark Davis may have just forced the hands of city officials in Oakland and elsewhere by announcing that the Raiders won’t be extending their lease on O.Co Coliseum.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Raiders extended their lease last November, in a deal that will expire after the 2014 season. If no plan is in place for a new home in Oakland, the team could relocate. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suggested that the Raiders could play in Levi's Stadium where the San Francisco 49ers play, but Davis has been cool on the idea.
Instead, Davis has openly flirted with other cities outside of the Bay Area. The Raiders are currently hosting joint practices with the Dallas Cowboys in Los Angeles, the former home of the Raiders and a long-rumored franchise destination. Davis also recently visited San Antonio, where the city reportedly made a detailed presentation to demonstrate its viability as an NFL town. The Raiders could move into the Alamodome, which would have to undergo $27.4 million in renovations to be brought up to an NFL standard, according to the Chronicle.
Whether the Raiders move, Davis’ decision will likely force several vested parties to scramble quickly in order to retain or lure the franchise away from its home of nearly 20 years.
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