In 2006, three billionaire brothers -- Bob, Bill, & John Fisher -- set their sights and ambitions on investing a portion of their inheritances in a series of construction projects -- replacing existing grass parks and fields in San Francisco with tire crumb styrene butadiene (sbr) synthetic turf.
Bob Fisher had become the reporting owner of the family financial investment portfolio – Pisces, Incorporated – which lists his brother John as president. John had bought stakes in soccer's San Jose Earthquakes and Scotland's Glasgow Celtic football club. He also became the majority owner of the Oakland Athletics. Bill started a private equity firm for their investments.
Along with financial adviser Susan Hirsch, (owner of Hirsch & Associates), they conceived of operating a Foundation that would be allotted public land -- free of charge -- supplied by the City and County of San Francisco. Their vision was to be able to build upon these properties -- and award multi-million dollar construction contracts to various associates of their choosing. They could write off their investments -- while requiring the City of San Francisco to provide millions of dollars of matching public funds.
The loose sbr tire crumb particles and dust can be seen flying up when athletes play on their synthetic fields -- or when shaken out of children’s hair and clothes.
One of the keys to enabling the Foundation's agenda was to lock down a strategic arrangement with the City of San Francisco.
Over the years the brothers had established a symbiotic relationship with Democratic San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom -- they even named a style of their Banana Republic pants after him. Being some of the most influential political donors in town -- in 2006 with the Mayor's support, the brothers and their Foundation signed an agreement with the City of San Francisco.
In what has been called a sweetheart deal -- the deal made between the City and the Foundation is exceptional in many ways; for example the agreement's memorandum of understanding not only grants the Foundation free land to use for their projects -- but also absolves them of virtually any liability after construction.
In addition it allows the Foundation easy termination of the agreement at their discretion -- and on top of all that, the agreement grants the Foundation the right to employ, “contractors of its choice”. [agreement doc.]
In addition it allows the Foundation easy termination of the agreement at their discretion -- and on top of all that, the agreement grants the Foundation the right to employ, “contractors of its choice”. [agreement doc.]
The City Fields Foundation (CFF) “Team” -- as they call themselves -- operates under the umbrella of the Fisher's financial investment entity, Pisces, Incorporated. The Foundation presents itself as a public-private partnership and is headed up by the three brothers along with management of the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department.
The CFF “Team” also includes construction contractors, and other key players with vested interests. Hirsch acts as the designated director of the “Team”, and former San Francisco Assistant D.A. Scott Emblidge acts as the designated legal counsel -- both are experienced and well connected political lobbyists in the City of San Francisco.
The City Fields Foundation and their associates were now poised to do business -- handing out multi-million dollar contracts that were tax deductible for the investors. The web site of one of the original CFF “Team” members -- and president of a construction company -- declared that the contracts would be worth over fifty million dollars. Stephen D. Bechtel’s Foundation, (Bechtel Corporation), was one of the first to join in.
The City Fields Foundation and their associates were now poised to do business -- handing out multi-million dollar contracts that were tax deductible for the investors. The web site of one of the original CFF “Team” members -- and president of a construction company -- declared that the contracts would be worth over fifty million dollars. Stephen D. Bechtel’s Foundation, (Bechtel Corporation), was one of the first to join in.