Kevin Durant, dancing construction workers highlight Warriors’ Chase Center groundbreaking

A fabulous fête went down in Mission Bay on Tuesday. The Golden State Warriors’ arena held their official groundbreaking media gala, ushering in the long-awaited and embattled Chase Center as the future home of the championship-winning basketball team.

In glorious form, the event was hardly a stuffy affair. In addition to a cameo by Kevin Durant, the media affair was punctuated by a synchronized backhoe dancing act featuring, among other things, fireworks and construction equipment coming to life.

A fitting start to what promised to be the city’s premiere sports entertainment center.

The Chase Center, a 18,000-plus seat arena that will move the Warriors from Oakland to San Francisco, had to leap through many legal hurdles before officially breaking ground. Neighborhood group Mission Bay Alliance and former UCSF board members tried to halt construction for fear of increased traffic congestion, hindered access to the new Children’s Hospital, and an overall increase in San Francisco construction.

Photo by AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

After a few rounds in court, the California Superior Court and the California State Court of Appeal granted the Chase Center a green light.

And now the process begins. And begin it did with this seamless choreographed routine set to Mozart. Behold.

The famed GLIDE Ensemble was also on hand to welcome back the Warriors with a rousing performance.

Warriors President Rick Welts , majority owner Joe Lacob, and co-owner Peter Guber were also introduced, along with a gaggle of local politicians trying to grab hold of what promises to be a wildly successful indoor arena.

San Francisco mayor Ed Lee and a host of other notables took part in the official breaking of the ground care of a gold-plated shovels.

With an anticipated completion for the 2019 season, the Chase Center will boast 100,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, as well as five-plus acres of public waterfront park.

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