Board authorizes exclusive talks with Warriors for waterfront arena; resolution amended to require outreach and passes unanimously

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on June 12 adopted a resolution authorizing city staff to begin sole-source negotiations with the Golden State Warriors and the Port of San Francisco for a possible arena on Piers 30-32 and adjacent Seawall properties.

Ken Rich of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) told the board the action before supervisors was limited in scope: it would (1) recognize OEWD as the lead negotiator in consultation with Port staff, (2) find the city's competitive-bidding policy in the administrative code inapplicable or subject to waiver for the transaction, and (3) urge early outreach to neighbors and stakeholders including coordination with the Bay Conservation and Development Commission and the State Lands Commission. "These are the full extent of the proposed action in front of you today," Mr. Rich said, noting that no land sale or approval of a physical project was being adopted at this step.

Deputy City Attorney Cheryl Adams explained that the resolution was principally a policy authorization allowing negotiations to proceed and that the board could waive competitive bidding where the code permits such a finding.

Supervisors pressed staff on community benefits, local hiring and public access. Supervisor John Avalos asked that local-hire commitments be a front-burner issue; Mark Rich and others said staff would begin those discussions immediately and that local-hire expectations were a central part of outreach. Supervisor David Chiu and others asked about protection and expansion of public access and viewsheds; staff said planning-level modeling and public-access commitments would figure prominently in subsequent phases.

The board amended the resolution to strengthen outreach language and to require that OEWD and Port staff engage in outreach to affected neighborhoods and stakeholders. Supervisor Jane Kim's amendment replacing "urge" with "require" on outreach language was adopted without objection. The board also adopted a minor technical amendment about CEQA findings related to a separate item on parking reductions.

Public commenters raised transparency concerns. Ray Harts of San Francisco Open Government requested full public access to documents and records to allow meaningful participation. Other members of the public including representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and labor voiced support for moving negotiations forward.

The amended resolution passed unanimously by roll call (11 ayes) as a directive to begin negotiations, and staff said they planned a schedule: term sheet and fiscal feasibility study in September; environmental review and Planning Commission hearings beginning in the following months; and additional required approvals from the Port Commission, BCDC and the State Lands Commission.

Ending: The resolution authorizes negotiations only and does not approve any transaction, land use changes, or design; those items will require subsequent project-level approvals and environmental review.