San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee. File photo by Luke Thomas.
From the Office of San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee
January 18, 2011
Mayor Establishes America’s Cup Executive Steering Committee to Oversee City’s Role and Responsibilities for Event that will Deliver More than $1 Billion in Economic Activity & Thousands of Jobs
San Francisco, CA— Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced his first Mayoral Executive Directive officially establishing the management structure to effectively coordinate the City’s efforts to host the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco in 2013. The Executive Directive creates the America’s Cup Executive Steering Committee to make all necessary investments in time and resources into making sure that the full potential benefits of the race come to fruition. The America’s Cup Executive Steering Committee reports directly to the Mayor and will consist of the Executive Directors of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), the Port of San Francisco, and the Department of Public Works.
“San Francisco came together to win the 34th America’s Cup, and now we are coming together to make good on our commitments to deliver an extraordinary event for sailing, for spectators and for the City’s economy,” said Mayor Lee. “The America’s Cup Executive Steering Committee will partner closely with the America’s Cup Event Authority and the San Francisco America’s Cup Organizing Committee to bring to San Francisco an amazing event that will transform our waterfront and draw the attention of the world.”
“We worked very hard to win the right to host the America’s Cup in San Francisco and bring more than $1 billion in economic activity and thousands of new jobs to California,” said Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, who was recently named Ambassador at Large for the 34th America’s Cup. “I’m very pleased that Mayor Lee is continuing the work we started and has made preparing for this event a top priority of his Administration.”
“Mayor Lee’s strong commitment to the America’s Cup is crucial to making this event a success for San Francisco and the sport of sailing,” said Board of Supervisors President David Chiu. “I look forward to working closely with him and his team as we begin preparations for the regatta.”
“I welcome Mayor Lee’s commitment to the America’s Cup, this truly cements the unity of the City family to make the event as successful as possible,” said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi. “We will need that unity to accomplish so much on a short timetable beginning with the comprehensive environmental review that is required under CEQA.”
San Francisco will host the 34th America’s Cup with a focus on enhancing the overall spectator experience. Plans call for Piers 30/32 for the team bases, the public Race Village to be staged at Piers 27/29, regatta operations on Pier 23, and the media center at Pier 19. The America’s Cup Event Authority, the organization tasked with running the 34th edition, announced its on-shore plans for the Challenger Selection Series for the Louis Vuitton Cup and the America’s Cup Finals at a public celebration held at San Francisco’s City Hall earlier this month. The Event Authority has been meeting with Port staff and will continue to do so until a specific venue plan has been created. This venue plan will be critical to beginning the CEQA process.
“Our goal is to create a sustainable sports event that gives teams the opportunity to become long-term sports franchises,” said Richard Worth, Chairman, America’s Cup Event Authority. “We’re focused on creating a new era for the America’s Cup, one that both honors its history as well as grabs the attention of new audiences.”
The America’s Cup Executive Steering Committee is comprised of the OEWD and various City departments and agencies. OEWD will have overall project management responsibility to deliver the City’s obligations under the Host City Agreement and move the project expeditiously through the regulatory and land use approval process. OEWD will hire an America’s Cup Project Director to form and manage a multi-agency team to lead these efforts. The America’s Cup Project Director will report directly to the America’s Cup Executive Steering Committee.
Given that the primary America’s Cup operational and spectator venues are located on Port controlled land, the Port of San Francisco has one of the most critical roles in delivering a successful America’s Cup event. In addition to the Port Executive Director sitting on the America’s Cup Executive Steering Committee, the Port will appoint a high-level project manager to coordinate all of its efforts, including delivery of short-term and long-term event venues, assistance and relocation for existing Port tenants impacted by the event, and waterfront specific permitting and approvals.
The Department of Public Works (DPW) will be responsible for the City’s infrastructure commitments including coordination with Port’s Cruise Terminal project on Pier 27, construction of the Brannan Street Wharf adjacent to the America’s Cup venue on Pier 30-32, and removal of Pier 36. In addition, DPW will assist the America’s Cup Event Authority in their development of the major infrastructure improvements planned for the event venues.
In conjunction with the America’s Cup Event Authority, the San Francisco Planning Department will be the lead City agency for undertaking and completing environmental review under CEQA for the hosting of the America’s Cup event. The timely completion of environmental review is critical to event timeline.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will be the lead City agency in the development and implementation of the Event’s People Plan to facilitate and plan for the up to 200,000 visitors per day to the event. The People Plan will emphasize the need to deliver effective public transportation services to the on-shore venues and spectator areas during the event.
The Recreation and Parks Department will be responsible for managing its waterfront public spaces, notably the Marina Green and Marina Yacht Harbor, as spectator venues. The City’s project team will work closely with its key federal partner, the National Park Service, for the planning and use of live sites, including Crissy Field, the Marin Headlands, Aquatic Park, Alcatraz, among others. The America’s Cup Executive Steering Committee and OEWD will also receive critical support from additional City department and agencies including the Police Department, Fire Department, City Attorney, Department of Building Inspection, and City Controller.
About the America’s Cup
Nearly 160 years old, the America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport. Initially a one-on-one competition between teams representing foreign yacht clubs, the America’s Cup has evolved into one of the world’s leading sporting competitions – featuring the best sailors on the world’s fastest boats – the wing-sailed AC45 and AC72 catamarans. The 34th America’s Cup Finals will be held in late 2013 in San Francisco, with the new America’s Cup World Series beginning in 2011. For more information, go to www.americascup.com
The Hunger Site
January 21, 2011 at 9:04 am
Big Mistake,
This Ellison guy is worse with his business partners than Al Davis is with his head coaches. He’ll sue the City on every project year after year to try and get more and more of the General Fund. It’s the way he’s always done business. He’s a rich bully with no conscience or ethics guided only by money.
Giants rookies in 12 days!
h.