The Golden State Warriors have been located in San Francisco since the early 1960s. They played their home games in Oakland, in the Oracle Arena, from 1971 to 2019. Just as people (usually Lebron’s fans) thought the “Splash Brothers” era was about to end after three championships in 2015, 2017, and 2018, things have gone a different way.
Steph Curry, Clay Thompson, and Draymond Green got a fresh new arena in 2019, and they still managed to win another title in 2022. The arena is the new home turf of the Warriors, and even though it is fairly new, it has seen a lot of 3-pointers.
The arena is the home of the Warriors and the men’s and women’s basketball teams from NCAA, the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
In our article, we will discuss all the key features that make the Chase Center one of the best arenas in the NBA. We will also give you the nearest bars, hotels, and parking spaces near the stadium.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
- Chase Center: Key Facts
- Where Is the Chase Center Located?
- The Best Way to Get to the Stadium
- Parking Near Chase Center
- The Best Restaurants Near Chase Center
- The Best Bars Near Chase Center
- The Best Hotels Near Chase Center
- The History of Chase Center
- Where to Get Tickets for Chase Center
- Does Chase Center Offers Tours?
- Conclusion
Chase Center: Key Facts
The NBA in the last decade was filled with a lot of fearsome competition. Star players like Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russel Westbrook were switching teams each year. Lebron James even joined the Lakers and dragged Anthony Davis alongside him.
However, there is one team that, we are not afraid to use this word here, dominated on the field, which is the Golden State Warriors.
In the “Splash Brothers” era, the Warriors were the toughest opponent in the entire league. What is amazing is that the Warriors shine on consistency, and they are never an easy team to play against.
Steph Curry is still the powerhouse that carries the team on his shoulders, especially now that Durant is gone and Thompson is constantly injured.
That said, a team for the ages deserves an arena for the ages, the Chase Center. This arena definitely “has a game.” The home of the Warriors is the newest arena in the NBA and is truly something to behold.
It’s safe to say that the arena is the new landmark of San Francisco. Here are some key facts about the arena that will convince you.
Fan experience
Before discussing the construction cost, the state-of-the-art design of the building, and all its amenities, we first like to give you an insight into what the fans think.
As always, even if something is designed with the latest technology, if dedicated fans don’t feel comfortable and at home in the arena, it’s all for nothing.
The fan experience in the arena is unparalleled. The Warriors built an arena with the league’s biggest scoreboard and video screen. Warrior fans are truly amazed about how the arena turned out.
When people who support the Lakers and the Celtics state with anger that the Chase Center is the best playing field in the NBA, you can rest assured that it’s true.
Compared to some other NBA arenas that are old and often time claustrophobic, the Chase Centers opens up to a soaring four-story atrium. A wall of windows opens up the place even more, and an 80-foot chandelier with LED lights and changing colors.
The wooden floor is golden, and there is also a functional sculpture and a graceful staircase. Yes, we know what you are thinking; the arena is just like a contemporary art museum. This leads us to our next key fact about the arena.
Art collection
The interior of the arena resembles a museum because it has a large art collection. In the hallways, some notable pieces include a mobile by Alexander Calder, a mosaic mural of the Bay, and memorabilia from the Golden Gate Bridge. Also, some pictures from Twin Peaks and Victorian homes and images from one-on-one hoop games.
There is also a drawing of Olafur Eliasson’s Seeing Spheres which is at the east entrance. It is 15 feet of steel orbs, and every Warriors fan has a picture on Instagram with it.
The design
With around 18,000 seats, the arena offers plenty of amenities. Compared to the previous arena, the Warriors got an upgrade.
The arena is a state-of-the-art building on the bay and even has a different practice facility called the Oracle Performance Center. The San Francisco maritime past and the modern technology of the present inspired the design of the Chase Center.
The contractors made the exterior slightly oval to resemble a ship’s bow. The aluminum cladding of the arena is designed to pay tribute to the Bay Area’s prominence as the world’s capital city of the tech industry.
The home of the Warriors is the centerpiece of an 11-acre complex located deep into the San Francisco Bay. Close to the arena is a bayfront park filled with sports activities and outdoor terraces. On the balconies, you can see the water and the Bay Bridge, which is actually on the logo of the Golden State Warriors.
Welcoming visitors and fans that arrive in the district, there is a Gatehouse with a 5,000-square-foot structure. The venue is 580,000 square feet of lab space and office and 100,000 square feet of retail space.
The public plaza or recreation area of the arena is 35,000 square feet and is designed by the highly reputable architecture firm SWA Group.
Food at the Chase Center
In addition to the memorabilia, the large scoreboard, and seeing the magic of Steph Curry, you can also expect great food at the arena. You can enjoy the barbecue of Nate Thurmond and get a nice plate of pork and brisket.
Bakesale Betty, who, like Nate, transferred from Oakland with the Warriors, makes one of the best fried chickens in the entire San Francisco bay.
Half Moon Bay is a palace inside the arena that is famous for clam chowder and lobster rolls. If that’s not enough and you are desperately craving burgers, Thrive City is a great restaurant complex where you can get a classic burger from Gott’s Roadside.
Check out our guide to food at Chase Center to learn more.
Opening day
The arena opened on September 6, 2019. Metallica played an entire concert alongside the San Francisco Symphony at the opening ceremony. This was part 2 of the concert since the band had already joined forces with the S&M Symphony in 1999.
The Warriors played their first game at the Chase Center a month later, in October, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. The first game from the regular season was on October 24, in which the Warriors lost again to the other team from Los Angeles, the Clippers.
Where Is the Chase Center Located?
The arena is a great indoor venue that is located at 1 Warriors Way, San Francisco, California. Built in 2019, the home of the Warriors can host up to 18,500 spectators, and according to fans, it is the best arena in the entire league.
The Best Way to Get to the Stadium
The Chase Center hosts more than 200 events annually which gives you the perfect picture of the traffic and the crowds that you have to go through to make it to the venue.
San Francisco is one of the 20 most popular cities in the U.S. and the only one without a full-size arena. The Chase Center hosts the Warriors basketball games and other attractions like major concerts or cultural events.
With mass transit and abundant sparse parking, the ideology of San Francisco is simple; get more people out of their cars. There are many alternatives for sports fans to get to the venue and pass throughout the entire Bay Area. There are two bike lanes, a temporary ferry terminal, etc.
The best ways to get to the arena are:
- Walking
- Driving
- Ferries
- Biking
- Muni.
Walking
If you decide to walk to the arena, you will not be alone. There are crowds of people often trekking from the BART stations to Oracle park on game day.
The distance from downtown to the Chase center is 1.7 miles. If your starting point is from the ferry landing at Pier 48, you can get to the stadium in about 10 to 15 minutes.
Also, suppose you decide to hit your step goal for the day and walk to watch the Warriors. In that case, you should know that the Municipal Transportation Agency from San Francisco always tries to make the streets as safe as possible for pedestrians. The agency dispatches around 25 parking control officers on game day with two supervisors to direct traffic.
Driving
Sure, you can go against the ideology of the Bay and still get in your car and drive to the arena. The arena has three parking levels with a total of 950 on-site parking stalls. In the mix, there are 29 car charging spaces.
However, there is a cheaper route for parking; 6,000 additional parking spaces are only a half-mile from the center.
Ferries
Plenty of baseball fans use the water to get across the Bay and watch the Giants. Oracle Park is the favorite destination of fans, and a one-way ticket with a ferry costs about $14. The officials are planning to offer a similar service instead of the Giants and Oracle Park, the Warriors at the Chase Center.
The water transit doesn’t make any noise and is one of the most convenient options for sports fans coming from the North Bay.
Biking
The home of the Golden State Warriors is one of the most bike-friendly arenas in the entire NBA. It has more than 100 permanent bike valet parking spaces.
Bicycling is a great sport everywhere in the world, and many people use bikes to get to work. This is especially true in San Francisco because the city has wide streets, and electric bikes are everywhere.
It feels like the Bay is expanding the bike lanes each year. The developer of Mission Rock has developed a two-way bicycle path to connect it to Third Street. Also, there are rental bike docs everywhere.
Muni
If you don’t like to wait for the Central Subway trains, you can use the Muni. There are two Munis that will expertly take you to the arena. Both of them start their services and a half hours before any event at the arena. They end 30 minutes after the event of the basketball game has ended.
On top of that, minibus routes 55, 48, and 22 are designed to accommodate larger crowds on game days.
Parking Near Chase Center
Parking Lot | Address | Price | Walking Distance |
Mercedes-Benz Garage | 99 Warriors Way | $20 | 1 minute |
Warriors Way Garage | 150 Warriors Way | $50 | 3 minutes |
The Exchange | 1800 Owens St | $60 | 6 minutes |
China Basin Garage | 920 3rd St | $25 | 14 minutes |
The Best Restaurants Near Chase Center
Restaurant Name | Address | Specialty | Walking Distance |
Long Bridge Pizza | Long Bridge Pizza Company | Thin crust pies, salads, and pizzas | 11 minutes |
Little Skillet | Little Skillet | Chicken & waffles | 18 minutes |
House of Tadu | House of Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen | Ethiopian food | 11 minutes |
Mission Rock Resort | Mission Rock Resort | Seafood | 2 minutes |
The Best Bars Near Chase Center
Restaurant Name | Address | Specialty | Walking Distance |
Sea Star | The Sea Star | Cocktails | 11 minutes |
Third Rail | Third Rail | Creative drinks, shots and beef jerky | 12 minutes |
Ungrafted | Ungrafted | Wine | 13 minutes |
Dogpatch Saloon | Dogpatch Saloon | Rum | 15 minutes |
The Best Hotels Near Chase Center
Hotel Name | Location | Website | Distance from Chase Center |
---|---|---|---|
Luma Hotel Mission Bay | LUMA Hotel San Francisco | Luma | 0.5 miles |
Hotel Via SF | Hotel VIA | Hotel Via | 0.8 miles |
Hyatt Place Hotel | Hyatt Place San Francisco / Downtown | Hyatt Place Hotel | 0.8 miles |
Civic Center Motor Inn | Civic Center Motor Inn | Civic Center Motor Inn | 1.3 miles |
The History of Chase Center
Joe Lacob, the owner of the Warriors, is a huge basketball fan who was always disappointed that his team didn’t have the arena it deserved. All that changed in 2019 when the Warriors got the privilege of calling the Chase Center a home field.
The construction cost for the arena was about $1.5 billion. The Warriors were privately financing their new stadium and got no money from the city’s general fund. There were also no taxes or public land involved.
The Warriors and Joe Lacob believed that the arena would generate more than $29 million in upfront money for any expanded transit services for the neighborhood or some improvements to the infrastructure.
The Chase Center was purchased by the team in 2014 and is the only privately financed arena or stadium that is built on private property. We are truly living in the most advanced and modern era of sports, and teams are pushing the boundaries and exceeding the fans’ expectations every year.
The arena covers a total of 11 acres and is a project approved by all commissions, regulatory agencies, and boards. This multi-purpose arena also showcases family shows, cultural events, concerts, and NBA games.
Where to Get Tickets for Chase Center
For any upcoming events at Chase Center, you can get tickets from Ticketmaster. You either go directly to Ticketmaster or through the arena’s official website.
The home of the Warriors is not only designed for basketball purposes but also hosts plenty of concerts and family shows.
Whether you like to see your favorite artists perform live or follow the Warriors throughout the season, you should know that Ticketmaster is the only authorized seller of tickets.
You can still buy tickets from eBay, StubHub, Craigslist, or Facebook at your own risk. But, there is always a possibility that the tickets are fraudulent.
Does Chase Center Offers Tours?
It has become a landmark of San Francisco in a short period. Many people only read about the interior and how it resembles a museum and are eager to take a tour and see what happens behind the curtains.
Unfortunately, the arena hosts more than 200 events each year; currently, there are no public tours. Fans are desperately hoping to take a sneak peek of the locker rooms and field as soon as possible. The arena allows umbrellas as a consolation prize for not offering public tours.
Conclusion
The Chase Center is the latest addition to the NBA and the new home of the Warriors and has a clean and modern design with enough technology goodies to impress Elon Musk. The arena has something for everyone.
The home of the Golden State Warriors is located on Mission Bay, which is a friendly neighborhood filled with many dining places and bars. The arena is the centerpiece of an 11-acre territory, and there are new projects in development.
The Chase Center is a facility with a lot of character. The contractors used technology every step of the way and managed to create the best NBA arena of the 21st century.
James is a big time NBA Golden State follower, who makes sure to catch games when he's in the area. He likes to follow International Soccer, with an interest in small town soccer club, Blackburn Rovers located in the North on the UK.