By Robert Haugh
Last night, the Stadium Authority reviewed the stadium budget and finances.
It was good news for the 49ers, who manage both NFL and non-NFL events. They made record profits for non-NFL events.
But it was bad news for Santa Clara residents. The general fund will get zero dollars again.
Here’s a chart the City staff shared:
The 49ers made $8.8 million last fiscal year. That’s the best year since the stadium opened.
As Santa Clara News Online previously reported, Levi’s Stadium had five concerts and featured some of the biggest names in music this past year: Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Karol G, and Ed Sheeran.
The 49ers are projecting another great year for the fiscal year 2024/25. $7.8 million will be the second-best year for non-NFL revenue.
But Santa Clara taxpayers won’t see any of it in the general fund. Here’s the City staff report breaking it down:
The grassroots group Stand Up for Santa Clara created a website that documents how the 49ers have declined to pay the City’s general fund any money since 2018. That’s when the team tried to lower their own rent. But the City stopped them through legal action and won a huge financial victory.
Stand Up for Santa Clara will have to update their chart, but not in a good way:
At last night’s meeting, Mayor Lisa Gillmor raised issues with the lack of general fund revenue.
“I have a hard time believing that,” said Gillmor. “How are you verifying these numbers because they don’t add up to me.”
City staff had no solid answers because they get their information from 49ers management.
The 49er Five were also silent.
In 2021, they changed the stadium curfew for concerts at the team’s request on a 5-2 vote. Gillmor and Councilmember Kathy Watanabe opposed the move.
The 49er Five said changing the curfew would generate more money. Looks like they were half right. It has for the 49ers, but not the City.
Editor’s Note: The 49er Five are Councilmembers Anthony Becker, Raj Chahal, Suds Jain, Karen Hardy, and Kevin Park.
Jed York spent $3 million in November 2020 to elect Becker, Jain, and Park. They were previously 0-6 in Santa Clara elections. Chahal and Hardy have received gifts from the team without reporting them and received $1 million each for their elections in November 2022.
In 2022, the team spent approximately $2.5 million for Becker in his failed attempt to unseat Mayor Lisa Gillmor.
The 49er Five met with the team on an almost weekly basis and have voted to help the team win millions of dollars in concessions from the City since December 2020.
Isn’t everyone tired of this crap? My tax on attendees would guarantee income for the general fund from every person that walks through the door. Currently it is one of the possibilities to be selected for the ballot. It is more lucrative than the business head tax that was on the ballot a couple of years ago, thus it deserves to be put before the voters in November.
You mean the business head tax that was pushed through by Raj Chahal and Suds Jain? The dynamic duo coming up with some incredible schemes along with their 3 colleagues to ruin Santa Clara and small business. And then there’s the crazy scheme to change the curfew and the City making millions of $$$. Well, we now see who benefited from that birdbrain idea for the last 3 years. Now we just need to see what happens on March 5 with Measure B.
With all of this negativity, let’s hope November gives Santa Clara real change and a council that represents the people and not Jed York.
Hope your idea gets flying colors, Thomas Calvello.
What a shipwreck!
Carol, honestly I’d take a shipwreck at this point.
Vote No on A
Vote No on B
For the next 30 years…whatever the 49ers want, we are against it.
It’s the only way to get our City back…Local Elections.
Do not discount your right to vote. A lot of blood was shed for your right to vote. So if you have not registered yet, I’d say now is the time!!!
Even if you vote against what I am looking for, I can respect that….please, just vote.
Burt Field
burt.field@gmail.com
408.687.2622 cell (text first so I can add you)
.