San Francisco: 49ers tell SF they're moving
SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco 49ers ended negotiations with the city about building a new stadium and plan to move to Santa Clara or somewhere else in California, The Associated Press learned Wednesday night.
Owner John York notified Mayor Gavin Newsom of the team's decision earlier Wednesday, a city official close to the negotiations told the AP on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. Team spokesman Aaron Salkin declined to comment Wednesday night. Phone messages left on the office and cell phone of Lisa Lang, the 49ers' vice president for communications, were not immediately returned. The sides had been talking over the past few months about building a privately financed stadium at Candlestick Point that was going to be part of the city's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The team's lease at Candlestick runs through the 2008 season, and the team holds three five-year options that could extend it through 2023. The stadium at Candlestick is one of the most run-down in the NFL, leading the team's desire to seek a new stadium with revenue-generating suites and luxury boxes. The plan to build a stadium also included public housing, retail and office space. The city was not going to contribute any money to the stadium but was willing to possibly help with infrastructure costs. The 49ers' headquarters are in Santa Clara, located about 30 miles south of San Francisco. Los Angeles and Anaheim also are seeking an NFL team. The mayors of the two cities met last month with new commissioner Roger Goodell to offer their competing plans to lure a team back to Southern California. Los Angeles city leaders want to build a new stadium within the walls of the historic Memorial Coliseum, featuring 200 luxury boxes and 15,000 club seats at a cost of $800 million. Goodell also met with Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle about his city's plans to sell the NFL 53 acres at the below-market price of $50 million to build a new stadium adjacent to Angel Stadium. The Los Angeles area hasn't had an NFL team since after the 1994 season, when the Raiders returned to Oakland and the Anaheim-based Rams moved to St. Louis. Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press |
If what's needed to keep them in the city is millions in taxpayers dollars, I hope Newsom holds the door open for them as they leave. I think the day is simply over when smart cities are willing to bribe pro sports teams and their wealthy owners with vast piles of public money. And if the wannabees somewhere else in CA are willing to be so stupid, let them.
http://www.raiders.com/images/splash...-splash_01.gif |
you know I've always wanted to cheer for the raiders...now I have my excuse;)
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Wow, first San Jose gets the A's, now the Niners. The new mayor has already paid dividends, even though technically neither will be in San Jose proper.
Actually, the entire 49ers organization has little connection with the city of SF other than spending a few Sunday afternoons there. As mentioned, the headquarters is in the South Bay, and most of the players live down there themselves. |
The Las Vegas Kings and now the Las Vegas 49's... wow they are really cleaning out CA of our pro sports teams.
Very sad. |
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The Yorks are absolute gasbags. Childhood memories of glory aside, let 'em go.
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Don't get me wrong, I think John York is an utter idiot...but the 49ers may just be frustrated with how difficult it is to negotiate anything in the city of SF, and how slow the process is. I'm sure they've gotten a really positive response in Santa Clara, as opposed to nothing but headache in SF. Only time will tell.
Perhaps it's a small microcosm of the continuing population loss and decline of the inner Bay Area (Oakland included). Or, you know, they could just be trying to negotiate a better deal with SF :rolleyes: |
This is just sickening.
There's such a history with the 49ers in San Francisco that they just don't belong anywhere else but SF. |
The San Francisco 49ers of San Jose.
Stop copying the SoCal trends, guys ;) |
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To me this lose wouldn't be as great as losing the A's and I am a big 49er fan from the crib
Football sort of lends itself to suburban locals with all the parking for tailgaters and long distance fans. Were they not proposing parking stuctures and housing around the stadium? San Francisco and the area have changed so much since Candlestick was built. Maybe a more intensive use of that land is more appropriate now For me the A's going to a field in Fremont from a potential downtown site in Oakland is a much bigger shame. Baseball is best when the park in an urban neighborhood near tranist. See At&T, Fenway, Yankee stadium etc. |
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Comprehensive study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City of the public value of sports franchises here: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...n8942029/pg_14
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Yeah, football is more of a good old country style game, with bbq's and tailgating, whereas basketball is more "urban." That's not to say that SF is above football, however.
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I'm trying to remember if I made this up or heard it from one of the talking heads on the morning news shows (TV), but York didn't like the parking configurations because it would have curtailed the convenience of tailgating partiers... OMFG. That is all I can say there. If that is even on the list of issues, go to Santa Clara, do not pass go and cancel that $100 million bond capacity we voted for...:hell: Now that's done, I offer you NYC (Bronx/Manhattan). I believe both of the major football stadiums in NY are in the bigger burroughs. Candlestick/HP-Bayview, all of the southeastern areas of the city, are under new development pressures in response to the affordability crisis in this city (I don't think anyone here would disagree). J Church even offered up a Cityscape proposal for a new neighborhood at Candlestick and I thought it was pretty awesome. Is the best use for that much land a monstrous (not Monster) stadium with acres of parking when a one bedroom condo is costing $600K in this city. Santa Clara is 35-40 minutes in good traffic. Big whoop. People live in neighborhoods 24/7, 365 days a year, not just 10 days out of a five month season. I have no civic ego in whether the 49's decamp or not. If it's a bluff/negotiating ploy, York is more than clueless, he's just stupid. |
There goes SF's olympic bid.
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I think this is the biggest insult in the history of the 49ers organization towards the public. Its like a slap in the face, to me anyways, as I have been a lifelong 49ers fan. As far as I'm concerned, this would never have happened had Eddie DeBartolo still been the man instead of the Yorks. And to make matters worse, it does put our olympics bid in jeopardy.
:censor: the Yorks ... sigh. |
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