Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky Pledges $100M to SF Parks

Another large private donation, the largest to date from a single individual, is coming to the City of San Francisco to complete several park projects and begin new ones. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has pledged $100 million to San Francisco's public parks, as the Chronicle reports , with $39 million of that going immediately to completing several existing park-improvement projects. "A lot of my success I feel like I could attribute to the magic that is San Francisco — the community, the incredible people here,” Chesky said in a statement to the Chronicle. "I love this city and I, for a long time, have wanted to give back, and it was really a matter of how to give back." Chesky added, "If others are interested in giving gifts to the city or working with Mayor Lurie, I would encourage it... I feel really confident about how this money is going to be utilized. I think they have an incredible team." Airbnb's success has only grown in the last several years, with the company now valued at over $100 billion, and Chesky himself is now worth $13 billion . The funds will be used in the near term to complete five park projects, including the renovation of Embarcadero Plaza, and on upgrades at Garfield Square Park and Recreation Center in the Mission District. Chesky's donation will also help the Rec & Parks Department complete work on India Basin Waterfront Park, renovated Jackson Playground in Potrero Hill,, and speed up the creation of Rachele Sullivan Park, which is planned for a half-acre site on 11th Street in SoMa. As the Chronicle notes, Chesky's generous gift is the latest example of Mayor Daniel Lurie leveraging his private-sector friends and philanthropic background to get major, visible projects done in the city. Billionaire Michael Moritz's Crankstart Foundation is also giving $10 million to the Embarcadero Plaza project, for instance, and a coalition of business leaders including billionaire Chris Larsen are giving a half-million dollars to help establish a new Market Street Arts & Theater District. In a statement to the Chronicle, Mayor Daniel Lurie said the money would help in "expanding access to recreation, and making our parks even better for the families who use them." Lurie added, "To every leader who sees what Brian has done today: Our city is coming back, and you also have an opportunity not to watch from the sidelines but to be part of it." Related: Sculptural Pavilion Options For Embarcadero Park to Be Reviewed Monday