An Open Letter to the Wildlife Conservation Board
Golden Gate Fields: Preserve the Possibilities Before They're Gone
On November 19, the California Wildlife Conservation Board will consider approving $53 million toward the $125 million in state funding for the $175 million acquisition of Golden Gate Fields.
We strongly support transforming Golden Gate Fields into a world-class public park. But we are concerned that the terms of this acquisition could permanently limit its potential before a comprehensive master plan has even begun.
In our letter to the Wildlife Conservation Board, we raise three fundamental concerns:
Fundamentals
3. Question whether the public is paying a fair price.
At $175 million for approximately 130 acres of upland, the acquisition costs roughly $1.35 million per acre. Are we paying for speculative development potential that may never be realized? Who are we bidding against? The public deserves a careful examination of the appraisal, development constraints, and whether this price reflects the property's realistic value.
2. Consider adaptive reuse before demolition.
1. Preserve opportunities for a financially sustainable park.
Golden Gate Fields should be more than open space. It should be a dynamic waterfront destination combining ecological restoration, active recreation, cultural activities, and economic opportunities. Restaurants, hotels, retail, and ground leases could generate revenue to help build, operate, and maintain the park. We need assurance that state funding restrictions will not eliminate these possibilities before they are considered.
The acquisition requires demolition of existing vertical structures, including the iconic grandstand, without first meaningfully evaluating their potential reuse. These buildings represent enormous embodied carbon and could become valuable recreational, cultural, and economic assets. Demolishing them with public funds dedicated to environmental protection, without examining alternatives, raises serious questions about our commitment to sustainability.