married a homeowner, and san francisco concerned citizen. today's discussion concerning the financial aspect of the proposed america's cup, and that is the focus of the finance committee. clearly, you are aware of the e enormous potential of this event. the international exposure, the opportunity to fix the waterfront, the multiplier effect of the event itself can only be benefits for the city financially in terms of prestige and stature. this could be a huge windfall if we approach the hosting and selection process the right way. consider the many well-financed and capable developers whose previous attempts to fix these peers have gone awry. all have gone away. either there are use issues, construction costs, surprises, permit debates or some other defeating issue. please do not let the phantom prospect of some of the developer who might offer a better deal for the city become

the issue at this stage. there is no such developer, and it is conceivable that a more fitting use will ever come to the city put the table again, especially if we can get unified behind this unique and once-in- a-lifetime bid. this is not a question of leverage or appropriateness. every element of the highest and best use of the san francisco waterfront is contained in the america's cup requirement. this is a multi-year sporting extravaganza with an ongoing payout. the benefits will be felt for a long time. this is our big opportunity to get our valuable waterfront finally in shape. i urge you to approve the effort to have san francisco selected as the next america's cup location and please, do not let this opportunity slip away. thank you. supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. next speaker please. >> good afternoon, everyone.

when i put willie brown in office, the second thing i propose to him was fixed the port. this is so important. the ne waterfront happens to be in my neighborhood. the city is broke. that is the reality. we therefore need the america's cup huge cash benefits like we need a blood transfusion. the court does not have the money to repair the deteriorated peers, unfortunately, because it was long neglected. the history is peir -- pier 27, a previous developer failed because it was a bad proposal. they dropped out at pier 30 and 32 because the expenses were insurmountable. we have a huge opportunity now that will bring jobs, benefits to hotels, restaurants, retail,

etc. we cannot and must not miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to complete the job of resurrecting those san francisco valuable waterfront. i have never backed a bad proposal. this is one of the best. just do it. imagine the giants world series and the america's cup in one decade. it does not get better, so please do it immediately. thank you. [applause] supervisor mirkarimi: walt, your card is not here. you have a little ways to go. please have a seat. we appreciate the enthusiasm, but it would be better to not do it so we can expedite this process. >> good afternoon. in the program director for the

treasure island sailing center. i came on behalf of my organization to represent them and say that we fully support bringing america's cup to san francisco. i understand that this meeting is mostly about the fiscal numbers and whether or not it makes financial sense for the city of san francisco, and i think that is very important to think about, obviously, but i also want to speak about the other things it would bring to our city. we believe an event like this could do a lot to the sport of sailing and also to increase events in communities that do not normally have that opportunity. our mission that treasure island sailing center is to try to introduce these four to people that normally would not have the opportunity -- introduced the sport to people that normally would not have the opportunity. we tried to introduce sailing to the communities, to students, so

they have the opportunity to experience something that in my life has been very positive. sailing to some is a passion. for others, including myself, it is my job. luckily, i get to combine both of those, and i think that bringing this event with the role models and the exposure that it is going to bring can only increase exposure to these four but also benefit the youth of san francisco, which need opportunities, positive ones, to go outside, did physical activity, and better their lives. at treasure island, we have eight junior instructor program where we try to get members of these communities that we serve and bring them up to our ranks, teach them how the sale and eventually teach them as teachers. hopefully some day they will become teachers themselves and use it as an opportunity to provide structure for the use for the future. thank you.

>> before we begin, but i have the -- thank you -- computer, please. i took the liberty of combining my card with norman's card, my first mate. we are going to talk a little bit about the history, but more important, you'd sailing in san francisco. you are looking at a picture of south beach and yacht club. if we could get that on the screen from the computer, please. ok, hopefully, we can see these slides that we have made for you. anyway, many people look at the boats at rest and ask how they get there. this is a picture of south beach. used sailing programs in san francisco answers that question,

but first, a little bit of history. from the beginnings of san francisco, many sailors and adventurers who first came here -- names are well known, but they also included others. this was mission bay, which was filled with boats of arriving and leaving with goods and products. the next vote is from clay st., showing ships arriving filled with people coming for the gold rush. over time, ships became a representation of commercial sailing scoters. also there is the alma, a working hayes got used to transport goods in and out of san francisco. recently, information about a chinese armada from 14 01 was skippered, sailed into san francisco bay and up the

sacramento river. this was discovered when chinese archives were opened. this is a map that shows the key sailing clubs and recreational areas in san francisco, many of which offer you sailing programs, including st. francis, golden gate, south bay yacht club, treasure island sailing center, merrill post hunters point yacht club, and mission creek. this is one of the areas where america's cup village is proposed. this is where four of the providers for youth programs are located. in 2000, don riley entered america's cup with her home base being in san francisco. she then found it true you sailing programs, and the legacy continues today through a continuing endowment -- and that is important -- that was established by the 2000 america's cup campaign. here is an example of kids and happy faces who have

participated in this program. in addition, india basin, hunters point about 10 years ago began an annual program that was established to offer kids of all ages the opportunity to spend a day on the water. to date, about 500 people have taken advantage of this opportunity. here you will see watercraft being delivered. kids in their life jackets getting ready to board kayaks. kids on the water. holy katz, which are small boats with no kiel's so they can sail in shallow waters. the whaleboat association also for dissipates in this event, as does supervisors of the maxwell, who has not only been a big supporter, but participate annually. barry had the kids and adults each year -- a very happy kids and adults each year. we of work in partnership with

san francisco state university's program. the best way to get kids on to larger boats is to begin them on kayaks and smaller boats. finally, back to south beach on the south beach yacht club, which has operated a community outreach and viewed sailing program for 18 years. we see kids getting instruction and on the water in mission creek. as you can see, there are many programs in san francisco to not only encourage our youth to sale but to give them the opportunities to do so. many go on to become full-time sailors for their entire lives with the dream of winning an america's cup. i thank you. [applause] supervisor mirkarimi: try to keep the applause down. after the speaker -- [reading names] >> good afternoon.

i'm the journalists who follows america's cup matters closely. i find that instead of speaking to benefits i have seen accrued to previous host cities, i must speak to time. you have heard mention of a protocol. the protocol is a covenant between the defender and challenger of record and one of the elements of the current protocol is the defender will announce the venue by december 30. we spent two years in court arguing about difficulties, but the previous protocol is not an element to be taken lightly. my friends who want to get spared -- partnership, start building teams have been waiting since february for the final elements that will enable the process for them. i do not have any behind the curtain information on the italian option, but i would consider that normal. what is going on here in the

background of the america's cup, i do have the best possible sources on the rhode island america's cup committee. when they were told that they were no long been -- no longer in the running, the rhode island america's cup committee went right on rolling with an ambitious to build part of a new waterfront to put in a bid to host a world series america's cup event, which they believe will be bigger than the america's cup matches they used to happen in newport. i can tell you on the basis of conversations in the last week with figures and said the america's cup organizing in rhode island, they have a bid for the america's cup world series regatta, and all they have to do is take be wide out, take out the world series, and

they have the america's cup bid. >> i speak an endorsement of the america's cup, but with the special feature i would like to bring to your attention. let's speak about pier 30 and 32. if this new proposal is going to be -- it is a bit of giving away the family jewels. the only thing i can rely upon is this report, and the gentleman knows how to crunch numbers with his unimpeachable integrity, and that is a lot of money being raised.

it is a gift of public funds, and it may well be illegal, so i would request you to approve of this project that is being proposed for the america's cup. everyone is going to enjoy this. as a former seaman, i agree it would be a wonderful thing. you are being railroaded to approve this thing. it strikes me that you do not have to give away everything around here because of the conditional agreement for the no. waterfront well in place. i would invite you to take that under consideration. i know it is an unenviable task, but it does not have to be that way. i thank you for the time and wish you luck in your endeavor. supervisor mirkarimi: next speaker please. thank you. >> i own a company called north beach marine campus on pier 40.

sailing is dear to me. i never knew it before i got on a boat when i was 21, and then i just needed to be in the industry. this is a strange city to be in a sailing industry because i am the only canvas yacht shop in san francisco, and i have been there for over 20 years. everywhere else around has more industry based on sailing, and this is a tremendously unique situation at san francisco can get a hold up right now. having seen other things leave the city and losing bids myself on different things, and my husband is a sanford says the businessman, to see when you lose something -- if i could just put in this last line item, then i will get this thing that i want, and you look at the competitor and think maybe if i did not do that, maybe if i was not 1 inch a little bit further, i could have been the biggest of something or other, and to see san francisco potentially not get the america's cup, to even

think that potentially not getting it is part of the conversation is a very scary thing. this is really a great city. the world series just made me realize how truly the whole city loves this city, and to have this come or not, -- to have it not, after the world series is not even something i want to think is possible. i encourage you guys to do what you have to do to bring this to san francisco because it will improve my business. it will improve other businesses around san francisco bay, and as other people mentioned, it is a difficult economy out there, even for something as simple as business. bring this to san francisco. thank you. [applause] supervisor mirkarimi: beyond the speakers i have already called, i'm calling these other names. [reading names]

>> good afternoon. could i have the overhead please? my husband and i run the sailing program at the golden gate yacht club. the photo that i have of is just one day on the day with our free sailing program to san francisco high school students, courtesy of the bmw oracle team. i would like to be able to share these kinds of days with other yacht club high school's sailing groups are around san francisco bay. there are over 100 high school teams competing throughout california. we are in little bit behind the times of here, but i think we

are well on our way to catching up and being able to compete not only with southern california, but the east coast and the world. california maritime academy recently sent one of their sailing teams to france representing the united states, and i think the future of sailing is with the youth, and i'm in favor of the 34th america's cup because i think it will generate the enthusiasm and infusion of funding that we need. i'm not going to use up my whole time. i'm going to go ahead and deferred to bright wind, who is also from my yacht club. >> i'm port captain of the golden gate yacht club. i cannot tell you how much this will be a boon to my club, but the important thing is it will be a grand slam for the entire bay area. the revenue-generating portion of this event does not begin at

the two or three weeks of the event. two years prior to it happening, the competing organizations come to the bay with 125 to 200 members. they are housed. they live here. they sail on the day to learn our hides, our current, and our wins. they are here generating the businesses that will benefit from this event do not come the day before. they come two years before and get down their roots so they will be here for it. after the event, for years after the event, we will get tourists internationally who have watched this event and seen the beauty of our day and the excitement of our city. we are getting free advertising internationally for years to come. the revenue generated will not be that two or three-week event.

it will be for a long time. most importantly, when the golden gate yacht club defense and retains the cup, we have four years hence that revenue again. thank you. [applause] supervisor mirkarimi: next speaker please. >> i run a program for blind sailors here in the bay area. i would just like to speak for about a minute about access to the sport for the disabled, particularly for the visually impaired and blind sailors. i would like to make a couple of comments and encourage you to have the america's cup come to san francisco for the disabled sailors. the participants in the racing itself are likely to be able bodied, very talented world-

class yachtsman, but you should know that there are plenty of participants in the sport that had disabilities and in particular, there is quite a community of visually impaired and blind sailors. maybe a dream of a blind sailor being on the america's cup team and being on the race but not a dream to see all the latest audio technologies, all the safety considerations, and everything to serve the blind sailing community to be spectators and take full advantage of the america's cup coming to the city. we are hoping that the extraordinary connection between sailing and the blind and visually disabled community becomes actually quite ordinary, and we are hoping that the 34th america's cup in san francisco can showcase some of that. thank you very much. supervisor mirkarimi: thank you very much. i'm going to call some more names.

[reading names] >> hello? is this on? ok, sorry. i'm the vice, or for the bay area association of disabled sailors, and if we could get a computer hookup, i think norm has some slides -- vice commodore. we have approximately 150 sailors of all different backgrounds. certainly tons of disabilities. we are mainly a group that just loves sailing, and we are so excited to support sanford's is the's bid to host the america's cup. i wanted to just echo or say did

it to the previous speaker's, and also the speaker from treasure island sailing organization. we think that this will do an enormous amount to bring sailing to all sorts of people in the bay area and the world when we showcase our beautiful, accessible, and inclusive bay. behind me, i have a view of the members, and i think they are going to speak. if any of you here have not sailed, come out and sale with us on sentences go day. we would love to have you. we look forward to working with you on making this happen. [applause] supervisor mirkarimi: next speaker please. those who i called up, please come on up. when i ask people to take the podium, please. >> i run the deprogram.

i teach disabled and disadvantaged to sail. how can having the america's cup here benefit the disabled and disadvantaged? besides the tangible assets and accessible list of the disabled, there is an intangible but terribly important focus on sailing from the media that will serve to educate and involve the public in sailing as a healthy, reasonable, and safe alternative activity for the disabled. sailing is the one activity where the most severely disabled can compete and function competitively on an even playing field with the able-bodied. cristina is one of those. as a young couple, my wife and i sailed from jakarta to singapore. when we arrived in singapore, we met a young man at a home for the incurably ill. he came to the u.s. and

shriner's hospital to become a football coach by the name of john nelson at pacific lutheran university in washington state. he never threw a football, never caught a football. he became a loved and loving and highly respected football coach, though he never had the physical ability to participate in the game. he became intellectually skilled at it. when i look at pictures of him on the field in his chair and realized he could never have the sensation of participation, i realized how important this america's cup can be towards advancing sailing as an activity for the disabled. little more than a month ago, we had some boats racing out on san francisco bay. they were called aussie 18's. these boats are like resources. they literally fly across the water. they require athletic skills --

[bell rings] supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. next speaker please. >> i'm going to finish and say that anything in the other members can do to assist, we are ready and willing. i feel the participation in the america's cup would be wonderful stimulus for the disabled sailing in the u.s. thank you. supervisor mirkarimi: folks, come on up. >> i'm a physician in fresno. i found some of the best sailing in my life. in the club champion for two years. i would like to impress upon you and hope everything you can to bring the premier sailing racing championship of the world to san francisco. there cannot be anything like it. thank you for your support. supervisor mirkarimi: thank you,

sir. next speaker please. >> the event that happened a few months ago -- picture please. overhead display please. an hour later, the maltese falcon came. i have been racing in sailing in the bay area for over 40 years. i would like to remind you of this event. an hour later when the maltese falcon was under the bridge, the bay area was white with sales. it was thousands and thousands of boats. i'm here about the world series , and mr. chairman, i would like to ask you how many countries were involved in the world series? supervisor avalos: 1, but the players came from many countries. >> that is very true.

the city spends $1 million to celebrate. it is called the america's cup. it should be here. thank you very much. >> i'm a disabled sailor. i was one of the casualties of the dot-bomb era. my work in the software industry, which i loved, destroyed my arms and part of my neurological system. in the five years since then, the cost to maintain my care -- instead of skyrocketing, it has held level. my level of function has maintained a steady state, even as my actual physical condition has deteriorated significantly.

to the best of my estimation, the savings on my care alone over the past four years exceed $40,000. the data on the money that you do not have to spend on for and broken people who can function better and be more productive -- those are not collected. those dollars cannot be counted in any of the really amazing spreadsheets that we have seen in this presentation. but it does not mean those dollars cease to exist, and are not that unusual, even though when you look at this, you do not think and disabled. the ongoing value of having something as inspiring, as truly world-class as america's cup here and i feel really lucky having it hear over and over again -- the benefits are absolutely incalculable. thank you. supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. after this field of speakers