by Ken Gimblin

SAN FRANCISCO–The Golden State Warriors had big dreams in getting a new arena completed with the biggest Bay window that showed the Mayor Willie L Brown Bay Bridge in the background with the bay view and a look even at the lights in the background of the Warriors former East Bay home Oakland. The Warriors had planned to have a 17 story luxury condo and a ten story hotel tower built across from piers 30-32 that would finance their new arena.

The arena itself on the original drawing board was set to be a buidling that would be 12 stories high, but after ballots that were signed by some 400 potential San Francisco voters who gave the thumbs down on the height of the building the Warriors withdrew from the plan and now are forced to come up with a smaller, scaled down version of a new arena design.

The Warriors who originally were going to open the arena in 2017 have pushed back their plans to open the new arena in 2018. The Warriors came to the realization of these anti height ballots in early February and Warriors spokesman Nathan Ballard said that the team would go back and review the height limits that residents opposed that would block waterfront views.

The costs alone to repair the eroding piers for a arena foundation on the water would run $180 million double the orignal estimate, this price tag alone has the Warriors regrouping their plans. The Warriors intentions were to get income from the hotel and condos that they would own from across the arena which would help pay for the costs of the arena or any loans for the arena build.

The other arugument by city residents and voters who partcipated in the ballots against the heights of the arena was how could the average working family or indvidual for that matter afford to buy a ticket in the new arena. The lowest priced ticket at the Warriors new arena at piers 30-32 would run $200-$300 per game. Residents claim that the arena would a playground for the rich at lavish prices and most fans who go to the Warriors today would be outpriced to even buy a game ticket.

Residents including former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos said that the height limit is the forefront problem of the pier 30-32 project for the Warriors. The Warriors plan called for a 125 foot high arena where it would pass the waterfront height limit of 40 feet. In last November’s election voters rejected high rise condo and hotel construction near the peirs called the 8 Washington condos or propositions B and C, the project was rejected by a wide margin.

The Warriors after some 400 ballots mostly rejecting the arena size were sent to San Francisco City Hall in early February realized that their project was in for another set back and with Warriors owners Joe Lacob and Peter Gruber in discussions the Warriors are trying to figure out how they will go forward with the next step on how they will get a new arena built at the piers.

The location for a new arena at the piers may not be happen for the Warriors, the San Francisco Giants at one time had entertained the idea for the Warriors to build a new arena near AT&T Park. It might be another idea for a new arena location if the Warriors were interested in sharing the location with the Giants.

The Giants have also proposed buidling retail, hotels and condos at the AT&T parking lot locations near the park. However the residents on the waterfront and Embarcadero may oppose any over sized towers in that location as well. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said at one time that the new Warriors arena would be a “legacy” to his administration but after last November’s election rejection to waterfront developments and the 49ers leaving San Francisco Lee can not afford to aggravate voters by pushing for the new arena project without hurting himself politically.

Ken Gimblin is covering the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings arena developments for Sportstalk radio