The Oakland Roots soccer club has reached an agreement with the Port of Oakland and the Industrial Realty Group of Los Angeles to develop Howard Terminal into a sports stadium. The terms of the exclusive negotiating agreement provide the parties with a year to plan the development.As Oaklandside rep orts, the deal calls for the Roots and Industrial Realty Group to pay the Port of Oakland $25,000 a piece for the rights to develop the 55-acre site adjacent to Jack London Square. Details for the proposed plan include establishing parking and transit plans, estimating the workforce to be created by the project, confirming the total number of acres to be used and developed, and needs related to environmental and land-approvals.At present, the Howard Terminal site at 1 Market Street is being utilized for maritime support operations and short-term rentals, per Oaklandside. Previously, efforts to make Howard Terminal the new home for the Oakland Athletics ultimately saw the team depart for Las Vegas by way of Sacramento. Local officials are hoping for a far better outcome this time around. In approving the agreement, Port of Oakland commissioners voted 6-0 in favor of the resolution. One commissioner was excused. In a statement to Oaklandside, Port of Oakland executive director Kristi McKenney expressed optimism for the project's future.“It’s exciting to see the two parties pursue a vision for Oakland’s waterfront that would both boost maritime operations and jobs, and bring another dynamic venue to the Jack London Square District,” McKenney said.Exempt from the deal: approximately four acres of land and adjacent water areas in the southwestern corner of the property. Oaklandside reports that this parcel has already been set aside for the planned widening of the Inner Harbor Turning Basin.SFist previously covered the Oakland Roots departure from their last home, the Oakland Coliseum, earlier this year. That follows the aforementioned saga involving the Oakland Athletics, which SFist also reported on.Related: Oakland Coliseum Loses Its Last Team as Oakland Roots Soccer Club Announces Move ...read more read less