Alameda Continues Push for America's Cup Business

As the world's most skilled sailors set their sights on winning the America's Cup on San Francisco Bay next year, city of Alameda officials are hoping to catch the financial windfall generated in their wake.

The race is projected to pump $1 billion into the Bay Area economy by September 2013, when the Louis Vuitton Cup takes place and the race culminates with the Oracle Racing Team defending its trophy in the finals.

The San Francisco waterfront, where officials are planning to build an 88,000-square-foot cruise ship terminal and walking plaza for spectators at Pier 27, will attract most of the spinoff business, with local merchants expected to offer everything from specials on accommodation to souvenir T-shirts.

But as an island that boasts eight marinas and a host of shoreline facilities that offer boat repairs and other maritime services, Alameda could attract racing teams, as well as fans just looking for a good vantage point, advocates say.

"My guess is that (San Francisco) will be looking around for support and that they will start to realize Alameda is perfectly poised -- right across the bay," said Chris Seiwald, the chair of the local America's Cup Ad Hoc Committee.

The volunteer group is currently marketing Alameda to race organizers and local business leaders, as well as pitching the Island to racing syndicates as a possible base for their operations. And the group is working with representatives from Oakland, Berkeley and Emeryville -- cities also hoping for a financial boost from the race -- while Alameda officials say they have met with Catellus Corp. about potential support sites. The developer is currently behind the Alameda Landing mixed-use project along the Oakland-Alameda Estuary.

"We have a lot of people working in a lot of different directions," Seiwald said. "We are trying to herd the cats."

The Alameda City Council was briefed on the committee's work on Tuesday, when Seiwald said much of the effort is now aimed at building connections between locals and folks from the racing world. The council took no action, however.

Mayor Marie Gilmore said she was confident that the committee's work "will yield positive results for Alameda."

Last month's races in San Diego, the third stop in the inaugural America's Cup World Series, underscored the potential excitement that the finals will generate in the Bay Area, Councilman Doug deHann said.

"This is going to lead up to a real finale when it takes place," deHaan said.

Meanwhile, San Francisco officials announced Tuesday that Teatro ZinZanni will move from Pier 27 to a parking lot across the street and the nearby Bauer's Intelligent Transportation was moving to Pier 50 to help prepare the Embarcadero for the race. Some 68 other businesses in the area also are expected to eventually move.