The Arena at the Kaiser Convention Center has hosted thousands of concerts, political rallies, and sporting events. For generations, it was also a place for high school graduations, civic banquets and other public events.

This is a historic building, and most of the history that took place there happened in the Arena, a grand space that can hold as many as 7000 people.

Due to budget cuts, the Convention Center was closed in 2005. Today, the City is recommending a plan to re-open the building. Unfortunately, this plan comes with a terrible consequence: the destruction of inside of the Arena.

The City wants to contract Orton Development, an out of town, for-profit developer, to restore the Kaiser Convention Center. Orton's plan would gut the Arena portion of the building and build a 140,000 ft² , multi-story commercial and office space inside it. They plan on leasing it out to private corporations.

The building was given to the Citizens of Oakland over 100 years ago as a place to gather for large events. The City's plan is an insult to Oakland's history. Our Arena could be lost forever.

Please don't allow this to happen.