The McAfee Coliseum (formerly called the Oakland/Alameda County Coliseum) is located 3 miles from Oakland International Airport and has nearly 10,000 on-site parking spaces. The complex rests on 120 acres and was constructed in 1966 at a cost of $25.5 million. The architect was Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and the general contractor was Guy F. Atkinson Company.
The mere mention of the Oakland-Alameda County Complex stirs up a story, if not two, three or more. More than 91 million people have passed through the turnstiles. The Stadium recently has undergone a $100 million renovation for the Oakland Raiders and Oakland A's. The architect was HNTB and the general contractor was Tutor-Saliba. The project manager was Cordell Corporation.
- Nearly 10,000 parking spaces are on-site at the Coliseum complex.
- Home to three professional sports teams, Oakland A's (MLB), Oakland Raiders (NFL) and Golden State Warriors (NBA).
- The natural grass in the stadium is located 21 feet below sea level.
- The first facility to have a professional sports team move and then return to the facility.
- The first complex to have an Arena and Stadium under renovation at the same time.
- More than 1,000 construction workers will have worked on the stadium renovation project. More than 84,000 cubic yards of concrete are being poured and 9 million pounds of reinforcing steel are being added to the stadium, the equivalent of a football field-sized block of concrete that is 50 stories high. More than 146,000 cubic yards of dirt have been hauled away.
- The new renovated stadium will include two 40,000 square foot clubs and a club concourse, 22,000 new seats, 125 new luxury suites, a 9,000 square foot kitchen, two new state-of-the-art color video boards and two matrix scoreboards. The baseball outfield fence will have a new configuration and look.
Oakland Football Marketing Association & Oakland Raiders PSL & Club Seats -- The renovated stadium will introduce Bay Area football fans to 62,500 seats and a new level of NFL fun and excitement with Personal Seal Licenses (PSL) and Club Seating.
PSL's secures the holder's right for ten years to purchase Oakland Raider season tickets, with a renewal option after ten years. You can transfer your PSL and it gives you a place in history at the stadium by having your name inscribed on the Coliseum's prestigious Wall of Fame.
Club Seats provide for a relaxed feeling and offers a tremendous view of the action on the field. You receive preferred parking and high quality food and beverage. You can have waiter service right to your extra-wide and comfortable Club Seat. Exclusive large play-back screens, a concierge, club restroom facilities and a private stadium entrance and exit will be offered to club seat members. Luxury Suite members also receive the benefits of the Club Area.
Nothing beats being at a Raiders game at McAfee Coliseum with thousands of other Raiders fans. And although it's hard to top that game-day excitement, what fan doesn't also wish for a few comforts of home, say a cushy seat and a television for watching the replays?
Raiders fans can have the best of both worlds with a luxury suite. The McAfee Coliseum offers several choices, all of which include preferred parking, a private entrance to the stadium and a premier catering service.
The luxury boxes on the west side of the stadium are on two levels, club and loge, and they seat either 12 or 18 fans in fully upholstered, theater-style chairs. Each has its own fully equipped kitchenette. Of course, these perks probably won't be necessary when a personal suite captain offers you selections from an elaborate menu, courtesy of Levy Resturants Sports & Entertainment.
The club level on the west side has 16 suites with retractable windows, which gives fans the option of being tucked away in a secluded suite or being swept away by the energy of the crowd. Fans who want to be on top of each play can choose one of the 37 loge level suites, one tier above the club suites.
West side suite holders have access to the West Side Club, a resturant furnished in redwood and brass that has a sports bar atmosphere. Tables can be reserved just inside the glass panels, where fans can enjoy the action while enjoying a crisp Caesar salad and a juicy cheeseburger. The West Side Club also boasts Northern California's longest bar.
When the stadium was renovated in 1996, 90 suites were built on the stadium's new east side to accommodate the Raiders' growing popularity. The east side has three levels of suites: plaza, club and loge, in ascending order, with outdoor club seating between the plaza and club levels. Suite holders and club members alike are invited to enjoy buffet-style catering in either the East Side Club or the West Side Club. Created with the potential of corporate functions in mind, the east side facilities are often the site of conventions and trade shows on non-gamedays.
Reprinted with permission from the Summer 1999 edition of Raiders Blitz Magazine by OFMA
Other features include:
- New chair style eastside seating -- closer to the field with excellent sight lines
- Two large family and corporate picnic areas
- Elevators and escalator for easier access to club level
- Two new high resolution video screens
- Improved sound system
- Additional restrooms and concession areas
- Two 40,000 square foot private, air-conditioned Club lounges and exclusive concourse for Club Members
- Kitchen for servicing Luxury Suites and Clubs
- New BART walkway and entrance plaza
- New upper deck concourse
- Club concourse connects eastern addition with existing stadium
- Lower and mid concourse connects eastern addition with existing stadium
Let's Get Physical
- The stadium renovation took place 24 hours a day and during Oakland A's games fans were able to view construction in progress as an added feature.
- More than 1,000 construction workers worked on the stadium renovation project. More than 84,000 cubic yards of concrete was poured and 9 million pounds of reinforcing steel was added to the stadium, the equivalent of a football field-sized block of concrete that is 50 stories high. More than 146,000 cubic yards of dirt was hauled away.
- The new renovated stadium includes two 40,000 square foot clubs and a club concourse, 22,000 new seats, 125 new luxury suites, a 9,000 square foot kitchen, two new state-of-the-art color video boards and two matrix scoreboards. The baseball outfield fence has a new configuration and look.
Image of McAfee Coliseum by Cory Suppes of Ballparks.com
OAKLAND COLISEUM AUTHORITY CONSIDERS MORE RENOVATIONS
May 20, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
Already swimming in debt and in legal battles with all the professional teams with which it works, the Oakland-Alameda County Stadium Authority is considering expanding its stadium in hopes of hosting the 2004 Super Bowl. The Authority last renovated the stadium to make a home for the Raiders and now is considering an expansion to 70,000 seats so it meets NFL standards. The venue now
seats 62,500.
The Authority spent nearly $130 million in 1995 to renovate the stadium for the Raiders and hoped to fund the work from sales of personal seat licenses. The sales program collapsed, leaving the authority to pay for its loans from reserve funds. The Authority is nearly out of money and fighting with the Raiders over the PSL program. It is also fighting with the Oakland A's, the other Coliseum tenant, over the renovations which the baseball team says put it at a disadvantage. Another battle is going on with the Golden State Warriors over renovations made to the adjacent arena.
Oakland had been considered for the game when the San Francisco 49ers stopped work on their new stadium. The Super Bowl had been promised for that venue, but the league withdrew the offer when it was clear the stadium could not open on time.
THE ULTIMATE SPORTS ROAD TRIP
By: Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell
| McAfee Coliseum Ranking by USRT |
| Architecture |  | 3 |
| Concessions | | 8 |
| Scoreboard | | 4 |
| Ushers | | 7 |
| Fan Support | | 6 |
| Location | | 5 |
| Banners/History | | 2 |
| Entertainment | | 10 |
| Concourses/Fan Comfort | | 4 |
| Bonus: Tailgate Scene | | 2 |
| Bonus: "Black Hole" | | 2 |
| Bonus: Raiderfan | | 2 |
| Total Score |  | 55 |
December 10, 2000 - Pulling off back to back NFL games in one day is no small achievement, and in order to get to Oakland in time for the Sunday night game of the week, we had to leave 3Com (Now Monster Park) early to beat the rush, take a preplanned route down the side streets which we had rehearsed a day earlier to find our way to the BART station, get on the BART train, and then enjoy the ride to Oakland which takes about 45 minutes. We stepped off the train 35 minutes before kickoff, and there in the distance from the station loomed the soaring Coliseum, home to the Oakland Raiders and the Oakland Athletics.
To get to the stadium you walk off the train and cross a lengthy pedestrian overpass which takes you through some of the most awful cityscape that California has to offer - cement plants, construction storage yards ... eccchh! Quite a contrast from the sleek and modern BART station which we just departed. But once you cross the bridge and you arrive at the stadium, you are overwhelmed by the giant mural hanging the entire length of the building, with the Raiders steely logo and the slogan "Commitment to Excellence". Network Associates Coliseum (as it was named during this review) has been the home of the Raiders for their entire existence, save for the dozen or so years when they moved to Los Angeles (people around these parts don't like to talk about that). In order to facilitate the team's return for the 1995 season, extensive renovations were performed, including the reconstruction of one entire sideline to accommodate a club section and 2 levels of suites. The other side of the stadium retains its classic horseshoe configuration, which allows the accommodation of the baseball field.
What makes this stadium experience so unique has nothing to do with the stadium itself - the building is ordinary, has the basic amenities and that's about it. But it is RAIDERFAN which makes Network Associates Coliseum absolutely electric - Let us describe Raiderfan - he is loud, he swills his beer, he paints his face silver and black, and he makes more noise than at any other venue in the NFL that we been to so far (sorry Kansas City...sure you call yourself "the loudest stadium in the NFL, but there are those who talk the talk and others who walk the walk). Nevermind walking into this building with the opposing team's colors - we were wearing Sabres jackets, and on the way into the building we got glares and dirty looks, as if to say "who are you people? state your business here! why aren't you wearing Raiders gear?" (Yes we did explain that we were tourists and yes we were cheering for the Raiders, so we got the nod.)
Once we got to our seats, we got little chance to sit - everyone stood.. for the whole game! It was noisy, rambunctious, and the atmosphere right from the player introductions was absolutely electric! We were amazed to learn, though, that the Raiders have a hard time selling out all their games, and there is still some lingering bitterness among the faithful over the LA thing.
As we said earlier, the stadium itself is average - all new kelly green seats with cupholders, two jumbotrons in opposite corners of the stadium, and the music they played all night was the stuff they used on those old NFL films reels. They do very little in the way of electronic cheerleading or cutesy videos - they don't have to!
Concessions
The teriyaki vendor was a nice touch, but otherwise we were amazed at the quality and diversity of food choices. Also, there was a Raiders merchandise post every other section with a great variety of souvenirs. There was a contrast in the concourses - in the older part the concourse was narrow (albeit with a view of the field) while the new section was mega wide.
Banners/Retired Numbers
As in San Francisco, we were stunned to see no permanent commemoratives to their icons or their world championships. During a TV timeout they did scroll all the Raiders greats in the Hall of Fame, but that is about it. There was an exhibit in the new section listing their charter PSL holders.
Advertising
In San Jose we saw all the high tech advertising on the panels - there it was ads from LSI Logic, Cisco Systems and PMC Sierra ... here in Oakland the largest ad panel was from "Pipefitters Local 350". Read the ads and you get a total feel for the community that surrounds it - in San Jose it is technology and the internet; in San Francisco it is the marvelous cultural and ethnic diversity; and in Oakland it is all grit and blue collar.
Miscellaneous
Like most stadiums today Network Associates Coliseum is a non smoking facility. While touring the stadium we came across the familiar acrid smell of cannabis in several spots. At first we were surprised, but then we realized that this is California and the words "for medicinal purposes only" seems to be a regular ballot initiative. So we will give Raiderfan the benefit of the doubt and assume there were several cases of sniffles, stubbed toes and assorted ailments in abundance on this evening!
So that is about it ... Oakland won on this night, and secured their first playoff appearance in Oakland in 2 decades ... head coach John Gruden got a gatorade shower, and we departed feeling that all was well with the world if all was well in Oakland.
