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SAN FRANCISCO — The accomplished men sat on a stage near Piers 30-32 and basked in the environment around them.

The sun shined brightly. No rain or clouds existed. The waterfront behind them provided a picturesque setting with a pleasant breeze.

As if the circumstances were not already seemingly perfect. Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob, co-owner Peter Guber, president/chief operating officer Rick Welts, the late San Francisco mayor Ed Lee, former NBA commissioner David Stern and other city and Warriors officials all sat on stage on May 22, 2012 to announce one thing. In 2017, the Warriors would move from Oakland to San Francisco and have a new arena on Piers 30-32.

During the event though, Stern expressed his skepticism. Stern told Welts a few times privately, “I’m not sure you’re ever going to get this done.”

“I was going to support Rick, Joe and Peter,” Stern recalled in an interview with the Bay Area News Group. “But I wasn’t positive that was going to be the final place they would select.” Want Warriors news in your inbox? Sign up for the free DubsDaily newsletter.

Stern turned out to be correct. The Warriors faced resistance over concerns surrounding traffic and environmental regulations. Eventually, the Warriors purchased property in Mission Bay, privately financed the arena budgeted for $1 billion and received unanimous support from the city’s Board of Supervisors for the project. And Welts said the Warriors are still on pace to open Chase Center in September, 2019 since breaking ground on Jan. 17, 2017.

The Warriors credited Welts heavily for his role in ensuring a new arena with his steady personality, collaborative nature and experience. Those qualities carried him through as a ball boy (the former Seattle SuperSonics), a public relations official (Sonics), a high-ranking NBA executive (1982-99) and front office roles with the Phoenix Suns (2002-2011) and Warriors (2011-present). It also explains why Welts will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday as a contributor.

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Still, Welts shook his head when assessing where his latest accomplishment ranked in his whole career.

“It tops the list in degree of difficulty,” Welts told the Bay Area News Group. “I don’t have the reward yet. A lot of other things on my résumé in the moment were wonderful and you have the reward of the moment. But this is a little bit of delayed gratification.”

Welts predicted he will not feel gratified until the Warriors cut the ribbon to announce Chase Center’s projected opening next year. Welts might not have to wait that long, though. He will speak for about five minutes during his Hall of Fame induction. Stern, former Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, former Sonics coach Lenny Wilkens, former women’s basketball player, executive and announcer Ann Meyers Drysdale and former NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik will join Welts as presenters. To subscribe to the Planet Dubs podcast click here.

During that time, Stern will probably share with Welts what he meant to the NBA. Stern described Welts as “the complete sports executive.” Stern also argued “there’s nobody at a higher level as a contributor than Rick Welts” after playing vital roles in creating NBA All-Star Weekend in 1984, the 1992 Dream Team and the WNBA as well as in 2011 becoming the first high-ranking sports executive to publicly announce he is gay.

As for Welts’ latest role with Chase Center? Stern called it a “crowning achievement” and “the capstone of a spectacular career.”

“He’s grown into every aspect of marketing, sales and now the ultimate construction with the largest arena project in the history of the NBA,” Stern said. “I had no doubt he could do it. But he’s probably doing that and hasn’t dropped anything from his agenda.”

The Pitch

Chase Center was on Welts’ agenda even before it existed. When the Warriors contacted Welts shortly after he resigned from the Suns, they informed him of their plans for a new arena. The Warriors had played in Oakland fulltime beginning in 1971, but the new ownership group envisioned the move helping their branding and bottom line.

“It’s part of why I’m here,” Welts said. “It’s part of the pitch.”

Then, Lacob, Guber and Welts met in Atherton at Lacob’s house.

For nearly three hours, Lacob and Guber outlined their vision nearly a year after acquiring the Warriors for $450 million. Yes, they touted their hope for the Warriors to win their first NBA championship since 1975. Yes, they stressed their willingness to spend money on players, coaches and other staff members to better their odds. Yes, they explained their collaborative culture that could bring out the best qualities in everybody. But Lacob and Guber also shared their aspirations to build an arena.

“It was a phenomenal meeting of the minds,” Lacob told Bay Area News Group. “We had a really good plan on what we wanted to do.”

Welts had already handled ambitious projects with the NBA, including the league’s corporate sponsorships, marketing and efforts to host preseason games in international cities. But to spearhead the Warriors’ plans to build an arena? That opportunity appealed to Welts’ intellectual curiosity.

“You get to take what you learned every day of your professional life and give the arena a once in a lifetime and completely unique form that will never be duplicated again,” Welts said. “You try to do it better than what’s ever been done before. Sign me up. That’s irresistible.”

The Warriors did not waste much time. Less than a year after hiring Welts in September 2011, the Warriors announced their plans to build an arena on Piers 30-32 during what Welts called a “magical day.” Lee fully endorsed the project, and it appeared on its way to completion.

“Everything about it was perfect,” Welts said. “You could envision what was going to happen.”

When Stern told Welts otherwise, he mused Stern’s skepticism captured his “usual positive reinforcement.” After all, Stern jokingly admitted during Welts’ tenure with the NBA league office that “I usually tell him what he’s getting wrong; I consider it my sacred duty.”

“I call myself an environmentalist,” Stern said. “So I wasn’t sure if I was going to go there to picket or to praise.”

Stern’s pessimism became an accurate prediction.

The Warriors faced logistical questions on if public transportation could ameliorate traffic congestion to and from the arena. With the proposed site on Piers 30-32 being built over water, the Warriors encountered regulatory hurdles and questions whether sea levels would leave them vulnerable to any damage.

Therefore, Welts spent plenty of sleepless nights in bed staring at the ceiling. Sometimes as late as 3 a.m.

“This is just wrong!” Welts recalled saying to himself. “If they would just understand what we’re trying to do, naturally everyone would agree with us. But that’s not the way it works.”

Staying Calm

Because of those obstacles, Welts conceded he felt “big doubt” about whether the Warriors would have a new arena in San Francisco. That did not stop him from trying, though.

They hired a consultant to run a political campaign to convince San Francisco voters to support the Warriors’ arena project on Piers 30-32. They completed the California Environment Quality Act to address those concerns. The Mission Bay Alliance filed a lawsuit to stop construction. They argued the arena’s presence would disrupt access to its hospital and emergency rooms. The Warriors became stuck in litigation as the Mission Bay Alliance disputed those findings. They negotiated with UCSF in hopes to reach an agreement on how to regulate traffic.

“They need to know us,” Welts said. “They need to know our intent. They need to understand how we’re motivated.”

At least some people understood the Warriors’ motivation.

As the Warriors anticipated a lengthy litigation process, Lacob received a phone call in the spring of 2014 that the Warriors pinpointed as the most significant turning point in their quest for a San Francisco arena. Marc Benioff, the CEO of Salesforce, asked Lacob if he was interested in purchasing four acres of land he owned in Mission Bay.

Though Benioff originally owned the land to build a campus for Salesforce, he later considered the property too small and wanted a campus in downtown San Francisco. But the Warriors found that land to be the right size for an arena. Lacob estimated it took only a couple of weeks to agree to a deal.

“It was a very big change,” Lacob said. “It meant privately paying and buying the land and more capital to come up with the land. But we worked out a deal and decided it was better.”

The proposal helped the Warriors clear various hurdles.

The Warriors still planned to finance the arena privately. So they still did not need to worry about hoping the city passed bond measures so that taxpayers paid the bill. The project featured the creation of a 5.5-acre public park on the waterfront across from the proposed arena. That alleviated environmental concerns and provided more space around the arena.

Still, the Mission Bay Alliance filed a lawsuit to stop construction. They argued the arena’s presence would disrupt access to its hospital and emergency rooms. Eventually, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a California Environment Quality Act report that showed the city’s plan to build a new central subway. A judge also ruled in the Warriors’ favor after Mission Bay Alliance filed a lawsuit, and the court of appeals later upheld the decision.

“One of the things I’m going to say in the Hall of Fame speech is we have really brilliant and fearless ownership,” Welts said. “There were opportunities early on to say, ‘We can just do great at Oracle Arena and stay there a long time.’ But that’s not the way these guys are wired. So to have that encouragement at the top, I think it makes all the difference.”

It also makes all the difference that Lacob and Guber have essentially written a blank check to exceed their $1 billion budget, which Lacob estimates currently is at $1.3 billion. Yet, the Warriors argued it also makes all the difference that Welts oversaw the arena project.

“Rick is always calm, collected, under control and calculated,” said Brandon Schneider, the Warriors’ chief revenue officer. “That rubs off on all of us and the organization.”

That included Lacob, who acknowledged Welts eased his anxieties any time it appeared unlikely he would receive his wish for a new arena in San Francisco. Lacob mused that Welts has calmed him down “almost every day.”

“The thing about Rick is he was frustrated, too. But overall, he had more patience,” Lacob said. “When I wanted to go in there and [tell them off], he had the ability to go in there and not do that. He’s been tremendous dealing with the state of California.”

Welts did not do that just by showing his easygoing temperament. He also leaned on his work.

Since the project started, Welts has held weekly 90-minute meetings to review the arena’s progress and to seek input from ownership, the front office and business staff. Welts created a public affairs department and hired consultants for feedback on the team’s various efforts through litigation, project construction and transportation strategy.

Welts often spoke with David Kelly, the Warriors’ chief legal officer, to further understand how to work through the issues Mission Bay Alliance raised in its lawsuit. Welts has occasionally facilitated conversations with NBA officials to ensure the arena meets league regulations. Otherwise, Welts often spends his time meeting with city officials and visiting the arena. Jim McLamb, the senior vice president/project director of Mortenson/Clark Joint Venture, added he often asks Welts during those times to speak to the 1,232 arena workers for a simple reason. Said McLamb: “Rick is phenomenal at pumping people up.”

“He goes about leading by building consensus and making sure he’s soliciting everyone’s opinion,” Schneider said of Welts. “He understands that if he’s trying to figure out all of this stuff on his own, that’s probably not going to work. In his case, it would still probably turn out well. But he’s making sure he has all the right people and that we have a voice in shaping what this is.”

Welts held those same qualities as the NBA’s third-ranking official as the executive vice president, chief marketing officer and president of NBA properties. As Stern joked, “if he suffered me for 17 years, he is steeled to every condition.” Welts shared that Stern will occasionally tell him, “You’re not doing it as badly as I thought you would.”

“It’s why people around him have been successful. He demands it,” Welts said of Stern. “But he also teaches. He’s an amazing teacher. For him, he’s more a ‘Have you thought about’ guy. He’s able to spot the defense in your strategy.”

That feedback has helped Welts ensure they have addressed every concern. Yet, Welts maintained not even his vast experiences prepared him for his latest undertaking.

“It has been learning on the job with the local political scene,” Welts said. “There’s nothing like this anywhere else. I’m sure every city is unique. But this is unique.”

The Vision

The Warriors also want their arena to become unique and what Welts called a “world-class architectural building.” The Warriors have overseen this work with Mortenson/Clark Joint Ventures, which has also overseen the construction of the Memphis’ Grizzlies’ FedEx Forum and Washington Wizards’ Capital One Arena. Yet, the Warriors have a grander vision.

“Our competitive set has to be The O2 Arena in London, Madison Square Garden in New York and Staples Center in Los Angeles,” Welts said. “With all due respect to some of the other arena projects, we have a different mission. This has to play out on a world stage. Everything about it has to reflect that. We think we got it.”

The Warriors believe they have it both with what Chase Center offers and what it looks like.

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After winning three of the past four NBA championships, the Warriors predicted Chase Center will be the home of “epic wins.” They said the arena will feature “blockbuster entertainment” with 200 events that will also include concerts, family oriented shows as well as a possible venue for a future WNBA team, NBA All-Star games and political conventions. The arena is also close to a 5½ acre park near the water.

The Warriors touted the arena’s “cutting-edge cuisine” and “unique stores & shopping.” They will have 29 retail stores and restaurants spanning 100,000 square feet. Inside the arena, the Warriors will have local eateries, including Hot Dog Bills, Bakesale Betty, Sam’s Chowder House, Tacolicious and Big Nate’s Barbecue. The arena has also collaborated with Uber to host two large office buildings to house the retail space.

The Warriors also believed they have answered the concerns about traffic congestion. The arena will have 950 parking stalls as well as spaces nearby AT&T Park (2,400), a half-mile near the arena (6,000) and a bicycle valet (stores over 300 bikes). Welts said he has been told the Central Subway System will not be complete until Dec. 2019, but fans can still get around via the Embarcadero BART station before taking a ride-sharing service, a taxi or Muni to the arena. Once the Central Subway System runs, fans will stop at the Powell Street BART station, transfer to the Central Subway System underground at the same location and then be within walking distance of Chase Center.

What it looks like: the Warriors said they are nearly halfway done with completing the exterior of the arena. They still have about half of the roof to complete over the arena. Construction workers have spent the past month installing panels along the side of the arena. By November, the Warriors expect construction to finish on the exterior before beginning on the arena’s flooring, lights and interior design. On Nov. 20th, McLamb said workers will begin installing seats.

“This job has a better culture about it,” “McLamb said. “I credit Rick for how he has led the team. It works so much easier when everybody is in the same boat. I think Rick has led his team to be part of that with us. We’re all pulling in the same direction.”

Once the arena is complete, the Warriors envision something that looks much different than Oracle Arena for reasons beyond showing a large video screen at the arena’s entrance.

Although Chase Center (18,064) has fewer seats than Oracle Arena (19,596), the Warriors believe it will maintain their electric atmosphere. Chase Center has more suites (136) than Oracle Arena (84), including a ring of suites (44) close to the lower bowl. Chase Center will also have 32 courtside lounges and 60 theatre boxes.

“We like the idea of capturing all of the sound and keeping it in the bowl and not letting it out onto the concourses,” Welts said. “The atmosphere we’re playing in now is the best in the NBA. We’re trying to do everything we can from a design perspective to make sure we continue to have that kind of home-court advantage in San Francisco.”

The Warriors sense validation from the early returns on fan sentiment.

So much that Welts maintained he has received “very little public pushback” from Warriors fans that might feel upset that the team will move from Oakland. Case in point, Welts greeted two groups of fans that renewed their season tickets for Chase Center’s inaugural season following a recent arena tour. With the Warriors hosting about 45 percent of their presentations for renewing memberships thus far, Schneider noted that 80 percent of those who attended already committed for Chase Center’s inaugural season.

“I’m really proud of the way we have done it,” Welts said. “We haven’t done one shortcut. We have not taken a dollar of public money. I don’t think it’s a formula that can be replicated. San Francisco was the only way we were going to get it done. It’s going to be an amazing thing for the whole Bay Area. I think fans that come to any event are going to walk away thinking this was a really great experience.”

The Big Picture

The Warriors believe their players will feel the same way.

Granted, the Warriors are well aware of the primary variable for their success. They have won three NBA titles in the past four years, including two consecutive championships with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. They added a fifth All-Star in DeMarcus Cousins this summer with their taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.3 million), a reality made possible because of questions about Cousins’ recovering left Achilles and because of the team’s recent dominance.

Yet, questions persist on how long the Warriors can keep their championship core together.

One of the reasons: the Warriors have a $144 million payroll and owe about $68.25 million in luxury tax penalties because they are over the threshold ($123 million). The other reasons: the Warriors will have pending free agents soon with Durant (2019), Thompson (2019) and Green (2020). The Warriors insisted they will absorb those expensive contracts for two reasons.

They want to keep winning. They will reap in all the profits that Chase Center will provide.

“As long as it makes sense, I think we can win the championship and continue to do whatever we need to do,” Lacob said. “Chase Center helps that. The timing is exquisite, as you might imagine. I can’t say that I planned that exactly. Everything has worked out.”

Welts predicted Chase Center will become “an awesome recruiting tool.”

“We all know all we have to do is send Steph and Klay, Andre (Iguodala) and Draymond to talk to anybody and then it works out well,” Welts said with a grin.

Will the lure of playing at Chase Center convince Durant to stay next season?

“I’m hoping he has a lot of years here,” Welts said of Durant.

By the time free agency approaches in July, the Warriors will be only two months away from having their new arena fully completed. That will also include their practice facility adjacent to the arena.

The Warriors considered it a high priority to have their practice facility there. Welts has not disclosed what the Warriors plan to do with their current practice facility in downtown Oakland, but it appears unlikely the team would ever hold practices or morning shootarounds there.

“We arguably could have kept our existing practice facility. But we wanted everybody to come to work at the same place every day,” Welts said. “We think it builds a better culture. We think it builds more of a common experience and common mission for the team and organization.”

Plenty of work still awaits, though. They have slightly less than a year to finish the second half of the exterior and filling in all of the interior. Just as he has done in the past seven years, Welts still has regulations to comply and meetings to attend. By next season, though, the Warriors will present a ribbon cutting ceremony that Stern plans to see.

“There will be something special not just with the first event, but the first Warriors game,” Welts said. “It’ll be a pretty magical moment.”

Before then, Welts will experience another magical moment. On Friday, he will deliver a speech thanking those who helped him succeed through his varying roles. Those people will hear him say those words, mindful he has become just as responsible for earning a spot on the stage.

Follow Bay Area News Group Warriors beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.