New 49ers Stadium Might Have to Wait

It's been the talk of the team for more than a year now but it looks like the potential new South Bay stadium for the San Francisco 49ers will have to be set back another year.

In a statement posted on the team's website Wednesday, National Football League and 49ers officials said that until the league and the players' unions reach an agreement on a new contract, the team will not be  able to secure financing from the league and other investors for the project.

That means the anticipated 2014 opening date could be delayed for a year so that a financing plan can be established, officials said.

 "The 49ers and the NFL cannot make a major investment in a new stadium at this time," team officials said in the statement. "We are hopeful that an agreement can be reached with the union as soon as possible to  facilitate the investment needed to move forward with this project."

Voters last June passed a ballot measure to relocate the team to Santa Clara with a new $937 million, 68,500-seat stadium next to the Great America theme park. The team and the NFL have agreed to contribute nearly $500 million  to the project, and the Santa Clara Stadium Authority and the city of Santa Clara will foot the rest of the bill.

A new stadium in Santa Clara would replace Candlestick Park, located in San Francisco's Hunters Point neighborhood, as the team's home venue.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom addressed the stadium issue Thursday and encouraged the team's president, Jed York, to stay in the City.

"If he's going to remain here for the next five years, why doesn't  he just continue the legacy of the DeBartolo family, his uncle, and continue  to commit to the city and county of San Francisco?" Newsom said, adding that the City is "ready with open arms" to start helping  with construction of a new stadium.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

Contact Us