Board reschedules America's Cup hearing after event authority withdraws use of Piers 30–32

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to reschedule a committee-of-the-whole hearing on agreements for the 34th America's Cup after the event authority informed the city it would not pursue use of Piers 30–32.

The hearing was set for March 27 after an update from Mike Martin, America's Cup project director in the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. Martin said the event authority "is no longer interested in pursuing the use of Pier 30/32 as the team base area" and is not moving forward on the long-term pier transaction tied to that site. He said the city will present a revised set of documents to the board that reflect relocated team-base needs and revised cost and mitigation arrangements, with a goal of lodging a revised package on March 13 and holding a hearing March 20, later amended to March 27.

The board moved to keep the matter at the full board level rather than delegating it to committee. President David Chiu made the motion to schedule the committee-of-the-whole hearing; Supervisor Mark Farrell seconded. After additional procedural steps the board rescinded an earlier scheduling vote and approved the March 27 date with an 11-0 roll call vote.

Why it matters: Supervisors said the development change affects potential private investment, port improvements and local jobs. Supervisor Farrell said the city lost a private investment opportunity worth "up to a hundred million dollars" to rehabilitate decaying piers and expressed concern about delayed infrastructure repairs and lost building and trades jobs.

What the city will do next: Martin told the board staff is recalculating the costs and exploring alternatives to the original financing framework, which had tied approximately $55 million in pre‑match improvements to development rights at Piers 30–32. He said the city and the event authority remain committed to hosting America's Cup events in 2012 and 2013 but must rework the agreements to reflect Pier 80 or other sites as team bases and to identify how improvements would be reimbursed.

Formal actions taken: The board (1) scheduled a committee‑of‑the‑whole hearing on the America's Cup and related transactions for March 27, and (2) continued related agenda items (items 20 and 21) to that same committee-of-the-whole hearing. Both actions were approved by roll call vote (11 ayes).

Public comment at the meeting underscored concern about lost investment, potential job impacts and long-term port planning; labor and community speakers urged the board to pursue opportunities that produce local jobs and protect waterfront infrastructure.

Board-level follow-up: Supervisors asked for a hearing focused on the Port of San Francisco’s long-term plans for Piers 30 and 32 and a broader vision for waterfront infrastructure; Chair requests were made for March committee materials to include revised cost estimates and mitigation plans.

Ending: The board will consider the revised America’s Cup documents in late March; city staff said they will submit updated agreements for posting in advance of the March hearing so the public and supervisors can review the revised financing and permitting approach.