rhaugh2154

BREAKING: Santa Clara May Lose $38 Million Hosting the 2026 World Cup

By Robert Haugh

The San Francisco Chronicle broke another major story – and it’s not a good one for Santa Clarans.

Here are the first three paragraphs of their report posted online late Friday:

“Santa Clara stands to lose up to $38 million hosting the World Cup at Levi’s Stadium in 2026 because of deals signed by San Francisco 49ers president Al Guido, the city attorney warned City Council members.

Until now, Santa Clara officials balked at revealing how they plan to pay for hosting six World Cup matches at the publicly owned stadium, releasing only heavily redacted financial documents and rebuffing requests for information under the state Public Records Act.

But city attorney Glen Googins privately told council members this month that Santa Clara faces multimillion-dollar losses on the event, according to city records and a Chronicle source familiar with internal communications.”

Wow. And Ouch.

It’s not a done deal. But the City protections may rely on a City Attorney who has had an ethical issues raised about him.

Here’s what the Chronicle reported:

“Googins, in a statement emailed Friday to the Chronicle, described ‘active negotiations’ with the Bay Area Host Committee, the 49ers and FIFA regarding the costs for World Cup events. He said the host committee has agreed to reimburse the city for public safety costs, ‘with the details for this and many other terms still under negotiation.’”

Santa Clara News Online readers may remember that three years ago Councilmember Karen Hardy committed the City to the event but didn’t know any details.

Since 2020, the 49er Five have made a lot of bad deals on behalf of Santa Clara taxpayers to help out the team. This looks like it could be the worst one.

This is a breaking story and SCNO will have more reports next week.

Screenshot

8 comments

  6. Here is an important passage that people should read before coming to conclusions on this.

    “Googins told council members he believes he can solve the problem, the source said, by negotiating a deal with the Bay Area Host Committee under which it would receive the $12 million to $14 million in stadium rent. Then the nonprofit would guarantee the police costs and agree to pay for all other World Cup expenses, possibly through fundraising.

    If no deal can be reached with the host committee, Googins suggested to the council, the city could withdraw from the World Cup at the risk of being sued for breach of contract by FIFA. City Manager Jovan Grogan and the 49ers both have said the city will be reimbursed for any costs incurred in hosting the World Cup.”

    I am curious about what room there is for negotiation and I am confused about how the Bay Area host committee can make binding agreements on behalf of the city of Santa Clara without

    Reply

    • Dear Community,

      This sounds exactly like High Spped Rail talking to the citizens of California when they said – “Trust Us, 50%, that is fifty percent – of all costs will be filled in by PRIVATE INVESTMENT”.

      Now after reflection on that promise,

      QUESTION –

      Exactly how much private investment has been collected from donations to this California High Speed Rail Authority Project?

      ANSWER –
      ZERO

      A thinking person would look forward, and might feel that with this example of few if any donations (zero) on a Community supporting idea High Speed Rail – there will not be enough donations to support the repayment or reimbursement of any TAXPAYERS DOLLARS.

      All I would like to say is this,
      If you feel the Community, Businesses and otherwise, will step to the plate and repay or reimburse any TAXPAYERS DOLLARS THAT ARE USED TO FUND PROJECTS AT LEVI’S STADIUM OR ANYWHERE FOR THAT MATTER, have at it.

      It is my humble and ignorant opinion that Histroy speaks for itself.

      “Those who can not Member the past, are condemned to repeat it.”
      (George Santayana, 1905)

      Do not be fooled by PRIVATE INVESTMENT PROMISES Zit will only eat up financial reserves.

      I am always open for discussion.

      In Community Spirit,
      Danny Garza
      Ironworkrdanny@yahoo.com.

      President
      Plata Arroyo Neighborhood Association and Gateway East N.A.C.

      Reply

  7. More money for the 49ers. Santa Clara Now slated to spend $1 million to support Jain.

    Reply

Leave a Reply