Golden State Warriors has secured a site for its future sports and entertainment complex in Mission Bay, San Francisco.

The defending National Basketball Association (NBA) champion has purchased a 12-acre plot from technology firm Salesforce and is hoping to have its new home ready in time for the 2018-19 season.

Plans for the site include an 18,000-capacity indoor arena anchoring an entertainment district with restaurants, cafes, offices, public plazas and a range of public spaces – such as a five-acre park on the Mission Bay waterfront.

The arena has been designed by architects Manica with Craig Dykers of Snøhetta acting as senior design advisor.

The Warriors’ plan is unique in that it is the only completely privately financed arena or stadium in the US over the past two decades.

“The Warriors are making an unprecedented, US$1bn investment in San Francisco,” said Rick Welts, president and COO of the Warriors.

“We’re the only sports team in America doing this all with private funds, on private land, with no public subsidy.”

A multi-use indoor venue, the arena will play host to not only NBA basketball, but also major concerts, family shows, conventions and a variety of other attractions.

The Warriors currently play their games at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California – across the bay from San Francisco.

The new arena will mark the franchise’s return to San Francisco after 47 years – the team played in the city between 1962 and 1971 as the San Francisco Warriors, before moving to Oakland.

It is expected that the team will be rebranded and the former name reinstalled once the move has been completed.

To read more about the new arena, click here for the Warriors website.