by Ken Gimblin

SAN FRANCISCO–A San Francisco poll that was commissioned by the Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Club that was done by J. Moore Methods of Sacramento found that of San Franciscans polled when asked if a new 12 story Warriors arena that included a 17 story luxury condo tower and a 10 story luxury hotel only 38 percent of those polled favored the project, 53 percent voted thumbs down.

When KPIX CBS 5 asked if a Warriors waterfront arena would be supported 60 percent polled in favor before the condo and hotel were tossed in the mix in the December poll. In another December poll only 36 percent were in favor of any new development idea at Piers 30-32 among 400 possible voters.

The Warriors are determined to get the new arena done which has a target date of 2017 but the Warriors new arena may have to get a stamp of approval from such groups as the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, State Lands Commission and Army Corps of Engineers. There are many hoops for the Warriors to jump through before ground is broken.

One of the first is the environmental impact report, the report is essential in getting the building certified before construction, the evaluation of wild life and living animals land and in the bay have to be studied. So far the study has not even started and is reportedly behind schedule. Permits for construction can not be started without the environmental study. Once ground breaking starts the completion schedule calls for two years to finish the job.

The Warriors are looking at 2015 to get the project going and finished by 2017 the way things are going the schedule could be hung up by the environmental impact alone. According to Warriors owner Joe Lacob if the team has to wait another year for the project completion say 2018 then so be it, “It’s going to be a challenge, it’s about getting it right, if it takes a year longer, it takes a year longer.” said Lacob.

According to reports the Warriors will have to spend upwards to $180 million double the original figures to fix Piers 30-32, team officials insist that extra public monies will not go into the $1 billion arena. The following costs for the projects read like a laundry list of items that the Warriors must achieve while the clock to meet the 2017 deadline ticks, 2.3 acre property assessment at $30 million, rent credits for the property at $2 million per year or the Warriors can lump out at $30.4 million, and proceeds from bonds which is from property taxes priced at $50-60 million.

The heighth of the building is what got potential voters worried, the Warriors wanted a 12 story sized arena measuring in at 125 feet high on reconstructed piers, the Warriors are planning to recoup on their investment by building a 175 foot condominium and 105 foot hotel across the street from the arena when they can book rooms and sell condos. In November Propositions B and C which were called the 8 Washington condos were rejected rather handily by San Francisco voters.

The rejection of the building of a new condo tower and luxury hotel in props B and C is almost identical to what the Warriors would ask voters to vote on again after they turned down the B and C measures last year to build a new hotel. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee campaigned with two other former San Francisco Mayors Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom for the project with support from the business community and a large number of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the measure still lost.

Former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos who is against the new arena at the waterfront said that the residents of the waterfront not only want to retain the beauty of the views of the Embarcadero but the project is a just for profit measure that won’t benefit local residents or the city. Agnos also said at the time that Warriors owners Lacob and Peter Gruber who do not live in the city only care about profit and not the benefit of the neighborhood. When propositions B and C lost in November no one from the Warriors would admit to Agnos’ “theory” that voters will look at the Warriors arena in the same way similar to props B and C, Warriors spokesman Nathan Ballard alluded that the propositions and what the Warriors want are two seperate ideas.

Ken Gimblin is covernig the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings arena developments for Sportstalk Radio