Draft:African American Sports & Entertainment Group
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|  |
| Abbreviation | AASEG |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2020 |
| Legal status | Active |
| Headquarters | Oakland, CA |
Founder | Ray Bobbitt (since 2019) |
| Website | https://www.aasegoakland.com/ |
The African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) was founded in 2020 by Brien Dixon and Ray Bobbitt with the mission to leverage sports and entertainment as tools for economic empowerment within African American communities. Headquartered in Oakland, California, AASEG aims to drive community development and foster economic equity through strategic projects and partnerships.[1]
Key Initiatives
[edit]AASEG, backed by Loop Capital, is most notably associated with its ambitious project to redevelop the Oakland Coliseum site.[2] The group initially sent a letter to the Oakland A's owner, John Fisher, to buy the Oakland A's 50% share of the Coliseum.[2] The offer was initially rejected by the team until the Oakland A's relocated to Las Vegas.[2] In early 2024, the City of Oakland agreed to sell its 50% stake in the Coliseum to AASEG for $105 million "beating out another group led by MLB Hall of Famer Dave Stewart and his wife, sports agent Lonnie Murray."[3][4] This transaction represents the largest transfer of public land to an African American-owned business in Oakland's history.[5]
The proposed extensive redevelopment of the Oakland Coliseum site is AASEG's flagship project. The ambitious $5 billion plan includes building affordable housing, with a substantial portion designated for low-income residents.[6][7] The group plans to construct a convention center and hotels on the site to attract tourism and business.[8][9] The development will also feature retail spaces and a "restaurant row" that showcases Black-owned businesses.[4] Additionally, the project aims to establish sports facilities to attract NFL and WNBA teams, alongside cultural amenities like museums and community centers.[10]
Members
[edit]Members of AASEG includes:
- Ray Bobbitt, an East Oakland native, veteran and owner of a consulting firm leading the initiative.
- Robert Bobb, former Oakland City Manager.
- Alan Dones, an Oakland developer.
- Shonda Scott, former chair of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce.
- Bill Duffy, a former NBA player and sports agent.
- Loop Capital, an African American-owned investment firm.
- LaNiece Jones, entrepreneur, higher education and equity advocate.
- Samantha Wise, entrepreneur, mentor, and community activist.
- John Jones III, community advocate and activist.
- Jonathan Jones, entrepreneur and business owner.
- Joan Tarika Lewis, visual artist, musician, author, political activist.
- Jade Smith-Williams, corporate attorney.
References
[edit]- ^ "HOME". AASEG Oakland. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ a b c Ostler, Scott (February 13, 2024). "Oakland business group renews bid to buy out A's half of Coliseum site". Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ^ "Oakland will sell its half of Coliseum to Black-led group looking to redevelop complex". ABC7 San Francisco. 2024-05-22. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ a b Fernandez, Gabe (May 23, 2024). "The saga of the Oakland Coliseum just had its biggest moment yet". SFGate. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ^ Baker, Alex (February 2, 2023). "Oakland enters negotiating agreement over Coliseum with African American sports group". Kron4. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ^ Group, Alex Simon | Bay Area News (2023-02-03). "Black-led group wants to prove skeptics wrong with big dreams and sports teams for Oakland Coliseum". The Mercury News. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Oakland will sell its half of Coliseum to Black-led group looking to redevelop complex". ABC7 San Francisco. 2024-05-22. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ Rasilla, Azucena (2023-02-02). "'This was a hard-fought victory': Oakland formally announces agreement for Coliseum development". The Oaklandside. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ Ravani, Sarah (Feb 2, 2023). "Plans to bring $5 billion megaproject with housing, restaurants and a convention center to Oakland Coliseum move forward". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ^ "Oakland-based group reaches out to A's, wants to buy 50% share of Coliseum site - CBS San Francisco". www.cbsnews.com. 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
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