Note to self: Always wear a blazer to the ribbon cutting.
The ceremony, the latest step on the long, winding road to the first game at Chase Center, was a who’s-one-who of power players, and characters who looked like they’d be right at home in an episode of HBO’s “Succession.”
Backstage, but still in sight, stood a delegation of local (and state) luminaries from the world of sports, politics and business.
Rick Welts
London Breed
Joe Lacob
Peter Guber
Gavin Newsom
Kristin Lemkau
“The esteemed panel,” as Ahmad Rashād, the day’s emcee, put it.
“Oh Happy Day,” that’s how the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir ushered in the festivities. Foreshadowing the theatrics to come.
Lacob, club co-chairman and CEO, was first up to the podium, recalling a distant phone conversation with Marc Benioff, the tech boss, who, after deciding to build the Salesforce Tower, sold the Mission Bay plot of land that would become Chase. It was the phone call that set in motion the seven-year sequence that ended on this increasingly sunny Tuesday morning at Thrive City, the plaza outside the arena.
Fittingly, one of the most cinematic moments came before Peter Guber, the Hollywood exec, whose films have netted 50 Academy Award nominations, spoke.
Building Chase Center in two minutes: pic.twitter.com/Xww7Mmidl7
— Karl Buscheck (@KarlBuscheck) September 3, 2019The cityscape, as seen from high above.
Look at that skyline pic.twitter.com/gkkJqq8zQ4
— Karl Buscheck (@KarlBuscheck) September 3, 2019California Governor Gavin Newsom, looking as Bruce Wayne as ever, played the part of the veteran public speaker. He ended his portion of the ceremony with a campaign-trail-worthy walk-off line.
“Eat your heart out Madison Square Garden.”@GavinNewsom is a big fan of @ChaseCenter -- pic.twitter.com/fBV0Epk6Lk
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 3, 2019And then came San Francisco Mayor London Breed, looking presidential in her long blue dress. Like the rest of the speakers, including Rick Welts, who followed her at the microphone, Breed delivered a touching praise for Ed Lee, the late mayor.
The #Warriors pay their respects to Ed Lee pic.twitter.com/6C6PKk6sZB
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 3, 2019Lemkau, the chief marketing officer for Chase, was last to speak before the big, golden ribbon was unfurled — flying above the crowd — and finally cut.
And there it is — the ribbon is cut. pic.twitter.com/zlFTmBKHwa
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 3, 2019The post-ribbon cutting was bizarre, defying the description of words.
Watch this short clip for yourself.
The grande finale pic.twitter.com/CWxbv5RBpM
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 3, 2019The sun was hot. It was time to go.
