Pro-Warriors Arena Protesters Expected At UC Regents Meeting In SF's Mission Bay
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— The UC Board of Regents meets in San Francisco on Thursday and with that comes the expectation of protests. However, this time around instead of trying to prevent something from being built, these demonstrators are pro-development in the form of a brand new Golden State Warriors arena located in the growing Mission Bay neighborhood.
Essentially they'll be saying no to UCSF donors who have given millions and are pushing to oppose the arena because they want the one-million-square feet of land for UC to expand the school and hospital. The boosters want the regents to distance themselves from them so it doesn't have that official stamp.
This Warriors arena deal is interesting especially with how the playoffs are going for them. Not missing a trick, the team's management has hired political consultants like P.J. Johnson who worked for former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, Nathan Ballard who worked for Gavin Newsom and the Fifty + One communications strategy group that worked with Airbnb.
They're out and about hosting and co-hosting playoff parties full of swag and other handouts, but then they sign you up so they can notify you via their email list to upcoming rallies and protests so you can show your support. They're definitely using the playoffs to their advantage to generate support.
UCSF does however have plans for the proposed site of the Warriors arena. They'd possibly like for it to be the new site of the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, which is currently located at their Parnassus campus.
The regent's meeting is at the William J. Rutter Center on UCSF's Mission Bay Campus.
