At his seventh annual State of the City speech on Feb. 9, Gonzales announced plans to bring a Major League Baseball team to San Jose. "Can we make this happen? I don't know, but I think it's worth trying. That's what dreams are all about," Gonzales said.

Only hours later, the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association gathered for its monthly meeting to discuss proposed ballpark sites. Although the association has taken no formal position on the ballpark, neighbors expressed concerns regarding traffic, noise and community input.

Rumors have swarmed the neighborhood for months on the possibility of a proposed ballpark on the Del Monte site, which is currently owned by developer KB Home. To better clarify the situation San Jose Redevelopment Agency Executive Director Harry Mavrogenes and Economic Development Director Paul Kutko attended the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association's February meeting.

According to Kutko, once the city decided that a professional or amateur sports team could beef up revenue, the city has been looking to bring a major league baseball, football or basketball team to San Jose for more than a year. With that plan in mind, the mayor and the city council created a sports stadium task force to review potential sites. Preferred sites include the Del Monte parcel currently slated for a KB Home condo and townhome development. The property is located on Auzerais Avenue west of Bird Avenue. Another possible location could be near Diridon Station bordering on Park Avenue.

"This is way, way, way early in the process," Kutko said. "[Looking at these sites] was very much an exploration."

But Willow Glen Neighborhood Association board member Hugh Graham and first vice president Ed Rast said they were alarmed by reports that the city is negotiating to buy the Del Monte site, which is said to be the city's preferred site.

The city officials did not deny the claim, but said both the Diridon and Del Monte sites are equally attractive because of freeway access and parking.

The city wants to build a 42,000 seat urban ballpark on 12.5 to 15 acres, similar to SBC Park in San Francisco or the Oriole Park in Baltimore. Being an urban setting, there would only be 900 onsite parking spaces, with a heavier reliance on public transit. And a ballpark close to downtown would help generate business in the immediate area, Kutko said.

Rast said the Diridon site might be a better match for the city. It is closer to downtown and has a train station and a restaurant district to accommodate the ballpark crowd. The Del Monte site, he said, is "kind of stretching the definition of downtown."

Although Mavrogenes agreed that the Diridon site is closer to downtown, the Del Monte site straddles the Caltrain line which could, theoretically, open a station close to Del Monte. Another added bonus to the Del Monte site is that the city could purchase the land from KB Home rather than combining land from different owners in the Diridon area, Kutko said.

Kutko assured the crowd that there were still numerous obstacles to overcome before a ballpark could come to San Jose, including voter approval for the park. The city would also have to secure some private funding, and convince the San Francisco Giants to give up their territorial-hold over San Jose.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has told the media that seceding San Jose to another team may not be an option because the Giants have "territorial rights" to Santa Clara County. Kutko, however, mentioned that a 75 percent vote from Giants ownership would allow San Jose to have a team of its own.

The city has its eye on the Oakland A's and envision two scenarios. The first is that the A's would grab the opportunity to become a San Jose team, or, if no agreement could be reached with the A's, San Jose would look to attract another baseball franchise.

"One of the reasons baseball is attractive in San Jose is because we would expand the fan base from Oakland to San Jose," Kutko said.

But not everyone is a fan of the idea.

"Is there any consideration for people in the Del Monte?" Del Monte neighborhood resident Gary Roberts asked. "What's going to happen to them?"

"Whatever happens there will be public participation projects along the way," Mavrogenes said. He pointed to the city's success in working out traffic signage and permit parking with Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association when HP Pavilion was proposed.

Yet others like Palm Haven resident Mike Borbely, who was concerned about the lights, noise and traffic the park may bring to Willow Glen, was troubled by the lack of neighborhood advocacy on the sports stadium task force. The meetings are open to the public and Borbely suggested the neighborhood association have a member present at the meetings.

Borbely said he would also like to have San Jose District 6 Councilman Ken Yeager speak at the next neighborhood association meeting so the community could hear the councilman's position on the ballpark.

"If it's not from us and not from our council member, they're kind of going about this in their own bubble," Borbely said. "No offense, but we'd like to hear from our own councilmen."

Although most of other people remained skeptical, one woman who came in place of her husband because he was unable to attend said, "My husband is very gung ho about this project. He'd like to show support of the project and he'd like to see it get of the ground."

Mavrogenes and Kutko's visit marks the city's first meeting with the Willow Glen neighborhood on the issue, and Mavrogenes promised there would be more of the same. "You're going to find the city departments are going to be sensitive to the community," he said.