49ers Officials, Architects Unveil Santa Clara Stadium Plans

49ers, HNTB Architecture Present Santa Clara Council With Plans For 68,500-Seat Stadium

49ers officials and HNTB Architecture last night presented the Santa Clara City Council with plans for a 68,500-seat stadium "glistening with solar panels, a 'vegetated' roof of California native plants, use of recycled water and plans to have more than a quarter of fans arrive on public transportation," according to Mike Swift of the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS. HNTB Dir of Sustainability Tambra Thorson said that the "environmental enhancements such as solar panels would help make the stadium the 'greenest' NFL stadium ever built." Thorson: "That's our goal." Swift reports the City Council yesterday "took two financial steps to move the project forward, approving up to $600,000 in legal fees, and up to $250,000 for economic consulting fees as talks about a detailed development agreement continue between the city and the 49ers." One of the "unique features" of the stadium design is that "most of the 170 or so luxury suites and 8,000 to 9,000 club seats would be enclosed in an eight-level tower on the west side of the stadium, rather than wrapped around the bowl as in most stadiums." The design also includes "large terraced stadium entrances that will form amphitheaters open to the public during the week for socializing or small public events." HNTB officials said that the design also would feature "one of the largest lower bowls in the NFL" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 7/15).

LOOKING FOR CLARA-TY: In S.F., Robert Selna reported that if Santa Clara builds a $900M stadium and lands the 49ers “in exchange for $100[M] in public subsidies, it will have pulled off one of the best deals in NFL history." However, observers note the deal "includes hidden costs, lost opportunities and unanswered questions, making it unclear how good a bargain it truly is." Approximately $100M of the $900M cost "would come from public funds, and stadium concessions and licenses would contribute" about $300M. The 49ers have said that they are "taking responsibility for the rest.” Fixed rent payments "would start at $180,000 in the first year and escalate to $1.5[M] by the end of the contract," and over the 40-year term of the deal rent is estimated at $1M per year. Meanwhile, non-NFL events are "expected to pay $4[M] in annual rent, and temporary construction and game-day jobs are part of the deal." But critics "point out that the rent from the non-NFL events, such as concerts and college bowl games -- which is not guaranteed -- adds up to more than 80[%] of the total rent estimates” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/14).

Writer Feels City Of S.F. Needs To Help 49ers Find Private Funding

DOES S.F. STILL HAVE A CHANCE? In S.F., Ray Ratto writes, "What does San Francisco do if Santa Clara says no? ... Who does it? Why?" S.F. Supervisor Bevan Dufty is the "one best positioned to cozy up" with 49ers President Jed York and COO Andy Dolich, as Dufty is a "supporter of the Yorks and a fan of the team who has shown concern about its relationship" with S.F. The city then "needs to help the Yorks find private funding to bolster their share of the burden," though S.F. officials "need to make it clear ... that the $100[M] is all there is." If Santa Clara "blows them off," S.F. is the "only logical place left." Finally, S.F. officials should "go into the neighborhoods, most of which are hard-wired not to go along with a 49er ballpark scheme, and make your best and most forthright case." Ratto: "The truth is, the city is better with the 49ers in it, but it is not uninhabitable without them" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/15).

PAST & PRESENT: In a front-page piece for the S.F. CHRONICLE, John King compares the current 49ers situation to the MLB Giants' efforts to leave S.F. in '92. In the case of the 49ers, there is "no sign of the multi-tiered effort that confounded skeptics and derailed then-Giants owner Bob Lurie's efforts to sell the team to investors in far-off Tampa Bay." Instead, there is "tacit acceptance that, for now, the decision is in the hands of Santa Clara voters." The "most passionate political opponent" of the 49ers' potential move has been U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), but none of the efforts have "added up to a sustained campaign to deter the 49ers." Efforts to keep the 49ers in S.F. have not made a "visible impression" on the NFL, and "except for the dismay of ardent fans, there's little sign of public concern." Former Giants Managing General Partner Peter Magowan said he is "surprised there hasn't been more of a campaign" to keep the 49ers. Magowan: "But I don't see it as comparable." Magowan added, "No politician wants to lose a team on their watch, but they didn't really fight that hard" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/15).