Tuesday marked the start of the final season in Oakland at Oracle Arena for the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors will be moving to the Chase Center in San Francisco for the 2019-2020 season.
Paul McCaffrey, Bonnie-Jill Laflin, and Brian Murphy of the Murph & Mac Show were granted exclusive access of the construction site to see how the new entertainment complex is coming along. The venue seats just over 18,000 guests, will feature capabilities to convert to a concert venue and will will have a retractable floor that could host hockey games. It will boast 44 suites, 32 court-side lounges, and 60 theater boxes. The surrounding space will feature two office buildings, 100,000 ft. of retail and restaurant space, and a public 5.5 acre waterfront park.
“It’s not just about the 60 basketball events,” Peter Bryan, Vice President of Construction and Development, said. “It’s about the other 150 events.”
The T-Muni line will drop you off right at the front of the venue and ferry access will begin in the 2020-2010 season. Chase Center will also include three levels of subterranean parking with nearly 1,000 on-site parking spots and an additional 6,000 spots in the immediate area. It’s designers say it will also be one of the most bike-friendly venues in America with 300 permanent bike valet spaces and new bicycle paths.
The Chase Center will be the only privately funded arena to be built on private property in the modern era of sports. The area is expected to generate over $29 million for infrastructure improvements to the neighborhood and is expected to generate north of $14 million in the following years.
This new home is also heavily focused on being a one stop shop for the team with a built-in practice facility and front offices for owners and coaches. The players and owners will have private entrances, private parking, lounges, massage areas, weight rooms, and kitchens.