A consortium of government, corporate and sporting organizations have joined together to pitch for one of the world’s most prominent sporting events, the America’s Cup yacht race, to be held in the San Francisco Bay in 2013. It would appear that they have learned some valuable lessons from past Olympic bid attempts and have produced a solid initial offer that is receiving substantial media coverage. Some of the key steps taken that should lead to a successful effort are as follows:

• They are coming together from a cohesive front, without loud opposition, which is really saying something for the Bay Area. The organizers, led by the San Francisco Mayor’s office, chose not to bypass environmental reviews that could have led to protests. They have not yet submitted environmental impact reports but will work through a review with key stakeholders during the planning process.

• Land is being offered for use at no cost, with a requirement that capital improvements be made to the piers and surrounding areas that will be used for the races. This will lead to much-needed upgrades of these prized but worn out assets as well as new commercial uses for the surrounding areas.

• An organizing committee led by government officials from all sides of the political spectrum is shaping up. The group includes current and former state and city leaders and other elected officials. This bipartisanship is almost unheard of these days, underscoring the unified front being set forth with the bid.

• Corporate leaders have been engaged, likely galvanized by the leadership of America’s Cup champion and leader of the pack, software magnate Larry Ellison. A consortium of major corporations have reportedly committed to providing support in some form with many details still to be worked out. There is still a great deal of work to be done in structuring and activating sponsorships – there are sure to be over 100 corporate and media partnerships for the event, requiring  a lot of organizing and management.

• One trick to this effort taking place in a down economy is the need to make this a socially viable program, worthy of all of the corporate funding that will be needed to make it work. Economic development and jobs will be a major selling point, but other cause-related extensions will be needed for it to really work with the public. Expect push back from people who want to see the effort and funds go towards human service and education programs. Ideally, the investment in the event can be leveraged to generate jobs and other forms of economic benefit that will address these social issues in a meaningful way.

Having produced professional sailing events on the SF bay back in the 90s – the Citibank Cup regattas at Pier 39, which were toy boat races compared to America’s Cup – I know first hand how many sailing enthusiasts will come out in support of an effort like this. Now we will need the corporate community, small businesses, media and the public at large to embrace the concept. This will be huge for the Bay Area and all of California – let’s wish the organizers calm seas and smooth sailing as they move forward with the bid.