OAKLAND — For the past decade, the vast Coliseum complex in East Oakland has increasingly felt like a forsaken land, its once proud ballpark and arena on a path to concrete ruin following the departures of the Raiders and Warriors and likely the A’s.
Striding into this bleak outlook are Brien Dixon and Ray Bobbitt, co-founders of the African-American Sports and Entertainment Group, which this week finalized an exclusive negotiating agreement with city officials to oversee a $5 billion redevelopment of the 100-acre property and eventually a 50% ownership interest.
The pair say they can turn the fortunes of the Coliseum site around with big ideas and even bigger financial