California Supreme Court Won't Hear San Francisco Arena Appeal

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PHOENIX - The California Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from a group opposing the construction of a new basketball arena in San Francisco.

The state's top court announced Tuesday that it would not review the November decision of a lower court affirming San Francisco's environmental review and approval process for the arena, which is to house the National Basketball Association's Golden State Warriors. The environmental review and approval had been challenged by a group called the Mission Bay Alliance, which says it is concerned how the project will affect the University of California San Francisco medical campus in the area, as well as the quality of life in the neighborhood and the environment.

The new Chase Center arena, which broke ground this week, is privately funded but city leaders have touted the benefits it would bring in tax revenue. The project was widely supported by public officials, and the appellate court review in favor of the arena was unanimous.

"The Warriors project is an important civic priority for San Francisco," San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said in a statement following the court's announcement. "It's widely supported and has been thoroughly vetted. A world-class city like San Francisco deserves to have an event center like this. A small group of opponents had threatened to litigate 'until the cows come home,' despite losing in court every step of the way. Well, guess what? The cows have come home."

The Alliance expressed disappointment in its own statement, and vowed to continue resistance despite the seemingly decisive legal defeat.

"Today's California Supreme Court decision not to review serious violations of California's Environmental Quality Act has set the stage for money and greed to supersede patient access to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, rational traffic planning, ongoing medical research and thoughtful environmental leadership established by our legislature," the Alliance said. "The Mission Bay Alliance will continue to stand up for our community and against the ill-conceived Warriors' arena."

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