(KRON) -- The Oakland Roots Soccer Club has expressed "extreme concern" to Alameda County officials regarding plans for a lot adjacent to the Oakland Coliseum tapped as an interim stadium site for the team. The ownership group behind the Roots and the club's women's team, Oakland Soul SC, sent an open letter to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors on Friday.
In the letter, club president Lindsay Barenz addressed plans for an interim stadium at the Malibu Lot across the parking lot from the Coliseum along with other key issues. In particular, club officials said they were "extremely concerned" that the county had changed its position regarding selling the property without completing negotiations for a lease.
The Roots and Soul have been in discussion for several months now with Alameda County about building an interim stadium at the Malibu lot. The property, which is co-owned by the county and the City of Oakland, is the "subject of a proposed ground lease" with the soccer teams, pursuant to a resolution the board passed in September.
"Such a lease would enable Oakland Roots and Soul to build an interim stadium, and continue to grow its impact as an anchor institution in the area by expanding our game day capacity and creating a community asset in East Oakland," the letter also said.
In the letter, the team requests that the county withhold from selling the property until lease terms for the lot have been negotiated and formally considered by the board. The letter identifies two other issues.
In addition to the Malibu lot, the Roots are seeking clarity on the county's sale of the former Oakland Raiders training facility. The Roots and Soul currently use the facility for training and it has been floated as a possible training facility for an international team in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
"We have been meeting weekly on this transaction and over this time, the Count Staff's perspective of the transaction has evolved to a point where we appear to be heading toward an impasse," the letter stated.
"We hope the City and County can find a way to resolve the issue, as the inability to proceed as planned severely jeopardizes the Club's ability to operate, as well as the East Bay's chances of hosting a FIFA Men's World Cup competitor in 2026," the letter continued.
The Roots also sought clarity on proposed use of the Coliseum for the 2025 season.
"While not directly an actionable item for the County Board of Supervisors, we are excited about being able to continue the grand tradition of professional sports at the Coliseum and to be able to elevate Oakland Soul to become the first professional women's sports team in the East Bay," the letter states.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao was cc'd on the letter which was sent one day after the Oakland A's formalized plans to leave Oakland at the end of the season.
The Oakland Roots are currently playing home matches at Pioneer Stadium in Hayward.