Warriors arena update: Team unveils artist drawings

The 17,500-capacity waterfront arena would would be located in the 13-acre area in a southern stretch of the Embarcadero on Piers 30-32.

New Warriors Arena: W's Hire Architect Ellen Warner As V.P. Of Development

The Golden State Warriors announced on Friday the hiring of architect Ellen Warner as Vice President of Development for the club, and will oversee the planning, design and construction of the new San Francisco arena according to the Bay Area Sports Guy.

Here is an excerpt from the official press release:

The Golden State Warriors have hired Ellen Warner as Vice President of Development, it was announced today. In this role, she will serve as the development manager for the team's proposed privately financed sports and entertainment complex on Piers 30-32 and Seawall Lot 330 in San Francisco and will oversee planning, design and construction of the project.

"We are thrilled to add Ellen to the Warriors organization in this critical role," said Joe Lacob, the team's Co-Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Her skills and experience make her a perfect choice to lead our project."

A San Francisco resident, Warner has more than three decades of experience successfully managing large and complex real estate projects, with budgets totaling $1 billion, including public buildings, hospitals, medical campuses, and office buildings.

Warner joins Kellie Vugrincic, V.P. of Human Resources, as the only other female with a major role in the organization's braintrust. And with her resume, its just more proof that the Warriors are pulling out all the stops to get this arena built.

For more on the Warriors move to San Francisco, make sure to follow our StoryStream to stay in the loop. For more on the W's in general, please head over to Golden State of Mind.

New Warriors Arena: Plans and Specs Detailed

On Tuesday evening, the Golden State Warriors held a community outreach meeting to share some of the background, specifications, timeline, and misc information regarding their proposal to build a new, state-of-the art arena that would house their franchise over the next several decades. In attendance were approximately 30 people, including Rick Welts (President of Warriors), representatives from Strada Investment, Platinum Advisors, SF Port, Mayor's Office of Economic & Workforce Development (OEWD), SFMTA, DPW, Supervisor Jane Kim and two aides, and various residents and local business owners. The public release issued following the meeting included the purpose and outcomes, but also shared some specs from the proposed arena that may be of interest to fans.

Specs and timeline:
Piers 30-32 is 13 acres in size. The proposed arena will take up about 40% of the space. Arena estimated to be 125-ft high. Estimated to hold 17,000 -18,000 seats. Currently at Oracle Arena, they have parking for 5,000 spaces. The Warriors believe parking for substantially fewer cars will be required for the new arena due to the better public transportation options available. No architect has been selected. No design yet either. The location of the arena (where on the piers will it be built) will be critical in order to maximize public access to the waterfront. Estimated $75-100 million to repair/retrofit the existing infrastructure; estimated $400-500 million to build the arena. 100% private financing. Allow 2 years for the EIR, then 3 years to build (including the time to retrofit the piers). They plan to be open for the 2017 season.

For more on the Warriors check out Golden State of Mind. Follow the SB Nation Bay Area StoryStream for continued updates on arena development sites.

New Golden State Warriors Arena May Be Built Near AT&T Park

The Golden State Warriors are currently in the process of finding an area to build their new, state of the art arena that will house the franchise for years to come. Oracle Arena has a lot of historical value to the Warriors and their fans, but the simple fact is that it's outdated and more money can be made elsewhere.

Team owners had originally been looking at quite a few areas around the Bay Area, but it appears that the land down by the piers is now out. Here is the latest from Damon Bruce of KNBR Radio:

Breaking News: A very good source has told me #warriors move to Piers 30/32 is already dead. Team will look to build closer to AT&T Park.

— Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) June 8, 2012

The Giants have been very successful at AT&T Park and transportation issues aren't too bad given the number of fans in attendance each night, so this does seem like a legitimate fit. There is still tons of planning left to be done, but it is good to see the Warriors narrowing down their options.

For more on the Warriors check out Golden State of Mind. Follow the SB Nation Bay Area StoryStream for continued updates on arena development sites.

Dakota Wizards Headed To Santa Cruz?

Warriors To San Francisco: David Stern Confident In S.F., W's Ownership Group

With the news that the Golden State Warriors will be moving back across the Bay this morning, excitement comes along with some concerns about funding, parking, anda number of other things. Still, there is much more optimism than doubt at the moment, especially from those involved in the project who seemed elated at the idea of moving back to San Francisco.

Tim Kawakami as well as a few other Bay Area media members got the chance to speak to some of the folks at the Golden State Warriors press conference this morning, including NBA commissioner David Stern.

Per Tim Kawakami on Twitter:

Quick overview: Warriors really want to do this. But they know just saying it doesn't make it true. Long process ahead. Plan B still there.

— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) May 22, 2012

Plan B is moving next door to the San Francisco Giants, possibly creating a scenario similar to what they have around the Staples Center in Los Angeles in the "L.A. Live" area that includes the Nokia theatre. Still, much of the success of the project is hinging on the city of San Francisco, though Stern noted that they City is ready, willing and able to get this project done.

Stern cited SF's eagerness as a key factor. "There is I think a coming together of the stars that's going to cause this project to work."

— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) May 22, 2012

'Coming together of the stars' is a great way to put it, though 'an alignment of pocketbooks' could be a bit more fitting.

Joe Lacob's jesting comment to Stern that the W's were the highest priced NBA franchise ever sold during the press conference didn't go unnoticed, especially with the team claiming all private money will fund this project. Stern was not concerned about funding the arena.

Stern disagreed w/suggestion this group is a bit leveraged already. He said financing arena "is going to be the easiest part of the deal."

— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) May 22, 2012

Lots of paperwork, meetings, logistics, construction and much much more will be in the works for the next few years, but today was a good jumping off point for the Warriors' big move back to the City.

For more on the Warriors, make sure to follow this StoryStream as well as Golden State of Mind.

Warriors Hold S.F. Press Conference, Will Privately Fund New Arena At Pier 30/32 Site

The Golden State Warriors held a press conference at the pier 30/32 location beneath the Bay Bridge on Tuesday morning to announce that they are indeed planning to move back to San Francisco

NBA commisoner David Stern was in attendance, as was Joe Lacob, Peter Guber, Jerry West, Mark Jackson, Rick Welts, Mayor Ed Lee, Lt. Governor Gavin Newson and San Francisco city officials, and for some reason Ahmad Rashad.

"The Warriors played in San Francisco for 50 years, and in my humble opinion it's time to bring them home," said Mayor Lee.

Lee would admit that the pier site would need enormous work, but is not using any existing 'green space' but instead creating it to draw more folks to the downtown area.

Joe Lacob spoke next, noting that that the Warriors explored all options for a new location, including Oakland, and that the W's felt that the pier site was the best location to give the fans the best experience

Lacob gave four main points about the new arena:

Intend to build the most spectacular arena in the country; an 'architecturally significant' venue. Do everything in our power to have a team that matches the scope of the building, the arena is about winning.

Completely privately financing the arena, the Giants have proven a privately financed stadium can work and be prosperous.

Have a venue that can be very accesable to public transportation.

Build a multi faceted venue with public spaces, retail, restaurants, bars included as well change this part of the embarcadero for the future.

Peter Guber spoke as well, talking about the necessity of having a digitally advanced stadium he deemed 'a 21st century campfire.' Team president Rick Welts even went as far to mention that Red's Java House, the long-standing restaurant at the Pier location, will not be forgotten in all of this and plan to work with them to keep their historic restaurant thriving.

NBA Commissioner David Stern spoke about the history of the franchise, recognizing W's legends Al Attles and Nate Thurmond, and the importance of the W's understanding of sports affect on the community. Jerry West brought up the Cow Palace, noting that 'The onus is on us to build a team worthy of this building.'

Mark Jackson and David Lee spoke as well, letting the fans know that the Warriors 'have a commitment now' and will continue to try and bring wining basketball to the Bay now, not in 2017.

No concrete details were really given during the formal press conference, though much of it did sound promising, especially in regards to making money and brining tourism to the City with the stadium.

For more on the Warriors, make sure to follow this StoryStream as well as check out Golden State of Mind.

Warriors To San Francisco: City Of Oakland Releases Statement, W's Plan S.F. Press Conference

In the wake of the news that the Golden State Warriors are indeed taking the initial steps in moving to San Francisco, the City of Oakland released an official statement on Monday morning stating that they are not dead in the water in terms of keeping the W's in the East Bay.

City of Oakland official press release:
"We are still in direct dialogue with the Warriors about the opportunity to build a new arena. We have always been aware that they are exploring all their options, including a San Francisco site. We continue to believe that Coliseum City offers the best new home to the Warriors, Oakland A's and Oakland Raiders."

Still, the Warriors are moving forward with a press conference in the City, which could come as early as this Tuesday according to CSN Bay Area. That is most certainly not a good sign for the Town.

Oracle Arena is the oldest arena in the NBA still in in use, though the W's have a lease agreement there until after the 2016-17 season. The proposed site at the pier 30/32 area under the Bay Bridge in the Embarcadero still has a lot of work have done to it before any building could begin, while parking remains one of the main concerns with the location.

For more on the possible Warriors move to San Francisco, make sure to follow this StoryStream and check out Golden State of Mind.

Golden State Warriors Headed To San Francisco, Pier 30/32 Site, According To Report

It looks as if the rumors will come true. The Golden State Warriors will soon be taking a trip across the Bay, if the Warriors Fast Break blog by the San Jose Mercury News is to be believed.

Sources: Warriors have finalized plans to move to San Francisco. Announcement could come as early as Tues. Pier 30/32 arena w/ private $$$.

— Fast Break (@GSWFastBreak) May 20, 2012

New arena would be state-of-the-art multi-use (basketball, concerts) facility, making the most of Bay-front location.

— Fast Break (@GSWFastBreak) May 20, 2012

Move is planned for 2017, presuming no red-tape and funding problems. Access remains a major concern. Only 1000 parking places in plan.

— Fast Break (@GSWFastBreak) May 20, 2012

If this is true, this is probably the best possible move to keep the Warriors moving in the right direction.

Although the Warriors have a fairly modern (if not quite cutting-edge) arena in Oakand, the site is perhaps the worst of all the major NBA teams, as Deep East Oakland is probably the most run-down neighborhood in the urban part of the Bay Area. Moving to San Francisco makes perfect sense from a financial perspective, and also ensures that the Warriors should remain in the Bay for the near future. Having a team in San Francisco as opposed to Oakland could help attract more marquee free agents and increase the chances of the team making significant.

To discuss the Warriors and the possibility of a move to San Francisco, head on over to Golden State of Mind.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee Calls For Warriors' Return

Is there a return home in the future for the Golden State Warriors?

Well, it's certain that home is now calling.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco mayor Ed Lee is calling for the Warriors to return to San Fran "in time for the 2017 NBA season."

In a letter signed by all 11 city supervisors, among others, Lee said he is willing to work with the team to get the move done. Talks have already been in the works for turning Piers 30-32 into a waterfront arena paid for by private financing - just like the Giants and their stadium. The letter was sent a few days after Lee met with new Warriors owner Peter Gruber in Los Angeles.

The Warriors haven't played in San Francisco since 1971 and the 1970-71 season was the last time they were referred to as the San Francisco Warriors.

For more on the Warriors and their possible move, check out Golden State of Mind.

Warriors Stadium Site: Embarcadero Location In W's Future?

With reports that the Warriors are no longer looking at a new stadium alongside AT&T Park in China Basin, CSN Bay Area is reporting that the W's are now eyeing a location on piers 30-32 adjacent to the Bay Bridge for a possibly landing spot for the team's return to San Francisco.

The location was the site of the X-Games back in 2000, and was once a possible hub for the 2013 America's Cup before other plans were made. At the moment the location is "13 acres of concrete and pilings" and will require lots of retrofitting to sustain the weight of an NBA-style arena. The City has already made plans to put $8 million into renovations there, though a tag of around $50 million is said what will be needed to make this location arena-ready.

The proposed Mission Rock development is likely a hindrance point for the W's moving next to AT&T Park, basically being developed in the same location. Being much closer to downtown and the Bay Bridge would certainly be positives for the Warriors, making their return to the City in the shadows of their famous logo.

Would they change back to the San Francisco Warriors? that would certainly be up for debate. But with their Oracle Arena lease expiring after the 2016-17 season, their going to have to move quickly if they want to build from scratch.

For more on the Warriors, check out Golden State of Mind.

The Golden State Warriors Decline San Francisco Giants Stadium Offer

The Golden State Warriors have decided they don't want to team up with the San Francisco Giants in order to get their new stadium. Instead, they are looking at possibly building their own state of the art waterfront facility at Piers 30-32, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Giants have wanted the Warriors to build a stadium in their parking lot or nearby at Piers 48-50 but it seems like the Warriors want no part of that, as told to the Chronicle.

"This is an ownership group that is pretty bold and visionary, and the prospect of doing something grand is really alluring to them," said one source familiar with the Warriors' plans.

The Warriors "do not want the Giants to be their middleman," the source said.

Whatever the Warriors decide to do, they need to do it soon as their current lease at Oakland's Oracle Arena expires at the end of the 20016-17 season.

For more on the Warriors head over to Golden State of Mind.

Golden State Warriors Still Looking For New Stadium Site

According to a report from Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, the Golden State Warriors continue to search for a new location to call their home in both San Francisco and Oakland, trying to get out of the NBA's oldest areana still in use in Oralce Arena.

The current lease the team has runs through the year 2017, meaning that they have a some time to find a new spot. Kawakami was told that the team currently have made no firm decisions on even a preferred site as of yet, so to say they are still far from having any idea where they are going would even be a stretch of the imagination.

More than likely they will want to end up in San Francisco, where they have already speculated the moving down by AT&T Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants.

For more on the Warriors head over to Golden State of Mind.