Developers Release New Renderings For 49ers Stadium In S.F.

Lennar Urban Has Released New Renderings Of Possible 49ers Stadium At Hunters Point In S.F.

Development firm Lennar Urban yesterday released new renderings of a possible 49ers stadium at Hunters Point in S.F., "showcasing the waterfront location," according to a front-page piece by John Cote of the S.F. CHRONICLE. Former 49ers President Carmen Policy, who is advising Lennar Urban on the S.F. stadium project, said that the team's partnership for a new stadium in Santa Clara "still has a lot of details to be worked out and that San Francisco's site offered the chance for perhaps 'the most stunning NFL venue in the country.'" Policy argued that the waterfront setting "would be a valuable marketing commodity for a franchise." But Cote notes yesterday's renderings offered "no substantive changes to a stadium proposal the 49ers have passed over in favor" of the Santa Clara site. 49ers officials yesterday said that they have "not seen those images and remain focused on Santa Clara." The team has "long been concerned about access" to the S.F. site and "regularly praise the freeway, light rail and commuter rail connections in Santa Clara" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 12/10). A S.F. CHRONICLE editorial states the 49ers-Santa Clara stadium is a "long way from a done deal," with the "serious parking challenges, and the complications of a lawsuit by neighboring amusement park Great America." S.F. "needs to stay in the game" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 12/10). In S.F., Zennie Abraham wrote, "I don't understand why the San Francisco 49ers are trying to fit a city planning square peg (the need for a stadium) in a round hole (the Great America land) when they have a proven site at Candlestick Park" (SFGATE.com, 12/9).

JUST STAY A LITTLE LONGER: The Alameda County Board of Supervisors, the Oakland City Council and the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority yesterday "signed off on a three-year extension" of the Raiders' lease at the stadium. Terms of the extension, keeping the Raiders in town through at least '13, are "similar to the current lease, which calls for the team to pay $525,000 per season and share some other revenue with the authority, such as what they get from concessions." The new deal calls for the Raiders to pay an additional $5M over the next three years, which the team would still owe if it "decided to move to a stadium" outside the county (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 12/10).