Santa Clara has rejected the 49ers’ “best and final” offer that would have “resolved a legal battle over public safety and food buffet costs and mark the end of years of litigation” between the two parties over Levi’s Stadium, according to Grace Hase of the San Jose MERCURY NEWS. On March 20, Levi's Stadium Compliance Manager Larry MacNeil sent a letter to the Santa Clara Stadium Authority Board with a settlement proposal that he said would deliver $18M “to the city’s general fund in the next 24 months.” While the letter “didn’t outline specifics of the proposed deal,” which was rejected by the board Monday night, the 49ers were “hoping to remedy the two years-long dispute.” Hase noted the dispute over public safety costs stems from the city saying that the team “needs to foot the entire bill.” According to the lease agreement for Levi’s Stadium, any dollar that the 49ers pay for cops over a certain threshold will be “given back to them in the form of a rent credit.” The other issue revolves around food buffets that are provided to Stadium Builder’s License holders and who pays for them. Hase noted these are individuals who “paid a one-time fee in order to have the exclusive right to purchase 49ers season tickets and get first access to tickets for other events at the stadium” (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 4/9).
