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Full-Page 'Come Home Dubs' Ad Urges Warriors To Move Back To San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - Fans who hope to see the Warriors franchise return to "The City" in the future have been taking out full page ads in the San Francisco Chronicle to let the NBA team know there is plenty of support for an arena in San Francisco.

The team is moving forward with plans to build a new arena in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco, but is facing some organized opposition to the plan.

A group called Mission Bay Alliance, which includes supporters of UC San Francisco, is raising concerns about what arena traffic and parking would look like if the arena is built, and suggests that congestion could delay access to medical facilities.

Backers of the plan have since tried to drown out those concerns by planning protests at UC Regents meetings and through the Chronicle ad campaign running in the paper this week, which is backed by the South Beach Mission Bay Business Association, developers, and the SF YMCA and Boys & Girls Club presidents, among others. It wasn't clear from the statement who actually paid for the advertisement.

"The privately-financed new arena will generate tens of millions of dollars annually for the City, will generate thousands of good, union jobs that will strengthen families and benefit children, and will being excitement and vitality to a part of the city that craves it," reads the ad. "We disagree with 'Mission Bay Alliance' and feel strongly that bringing the Warriors back to San Francisco, and specifically to this location, is a great thing for our city!"

A San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development report released last week saying that traffic will be manageable on game days, but Mission Bay Alliance members have refuted the findings of that draft environmental impact report.

Oakland city leaders are still holding out some hope that they'll be able to keep the team in the East Bay. The Warriors have signaled a clear preference to move to San Francisco, but might reconsider if those plans fall apart. As for this year, Oakland's mayor says any victory parade after the finals end next week would go through Oakland.

The Warriors hope to open the San Francisco arena for the 2018-2019 season.

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