by Jerry Feitelberg

Proposition B the initiative to limit height restrictions at San Francisco’s Waterfront for any construction over 40 feet unless voter approved was winning with authority prior to the Golden State Warriors land purchase at Mission Bay for their new arena after forfeiting relocating to Piers 30-23 after political pressure from the Waterfront neighborhood.

Prop B was being touted by former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos, former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin and Prop B campaign co-chairman Jon Golinger as a shoo in winner in the June election.The tables have since turned and in an odd turn of events as recent polls suggest since the Warriors announced their move to Mission Bay that 1,000 San Franciscians surveyed and 845 who were registered to vote in the city 31 percent were in favor of the measure and 33 were against.

At the time previous to the Warriors purchase of Mission Bay, Prop B was winning at a significant margin some reportedly at almost double of the current polls at close to 60 percent. That number has tapered off now at 31 percent. The Warriors had they not have purchased Mission Bay Prop B might have passed easily.

The Warriors could have made the announcement that they would not build at Piers 30-32 and waited for the election results, if Prop B was to fail they could have had a shot at Piers 30-32. Since the Warriors did purchase Mission Bay land for their new arena voters took it as a victory and abandoned the Proposition as if it won already. Therefore a great number of voters polled previously will not be showing up to the polls in June to vote for Prop B leaving those opposed in the bigger margin.

Since purchasing Mission Bay things have definitely quieted down for Golden State as Agnos and the Waterfront neighborhood are satisfied with the Warriors Mission Bay choice. However the Warriors could have said they wouldn’t build at the Waterfront and waited for the election results to see if B would pass and then make a decision then. A SurveyUSA poll showed that Prop B was losing 29-25 percent another SurveyUSA poll showed those who said they were committed to vote would defeat Prop B 32-27 percent. The San Francisco election is on June 3rd.

Golinger said, “A lot of people think we already won, I have litterally gotten that on the phone” and so with that thought in mind voters who were going to vote in favor of B will not show up at the polls to vote in favor of the measure leaving the opposition a chance to defeat the measure.

While it’s already too late for the Warriors as they are now committed to Mission Bay, the Giants would be free to build their towering retail and condo mega village near AT&T in Parking Lot A and Forest City which owns the real estate at Pier 70 would be freed up too to build towering retail and condos and with no height limits in the way if B loses and they would be free to build the towers they wanted for that local in the Dog Patch neighborhood off third street.

The real losers in this would be the Warriors who could have had an brand new arena at Piers 30-32 just like they wanted if they waited out the election and not have had purchased the land at Mission Bay, but too late they already are committed to Mission Bay.

Jerry Feitelberg is covering the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings new arena developments for http://www.sportsradioservice.com