By Robert Haugh
Late last night, the Santa Clara City Council approved a Super Bowl Agreement that some sports economists believe is risky for the City.
The major point of contention is who will guarantee the City’s expenses for the 2026 game if the Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) cannot raise enough money to cover the event’s costs.
City Super Bowl costs to date are estimated to be $6.3 million and are likely to increase.
The BAHC is reported to be struggling to raise money and won’t disclose any financial information.
So the City has insisted on a better guarantor or backstop from another organization. The 49ers offered StadCo, their non-NFL stadium operations company.
But StadCo has no tangible assets. It receives and pays revenues from non-NFL games, including payments to the City.
“Circularly using our own assets as a backstop is a really foolish thing to do,” said Vice Mayor Kelly Cox.
In the City’s agreement for FIFA World Cup games, also happening in 2026, the 49ers (TeamCo) is the guarantor of expenses, backstopping the BAHC.
But the 49ers would not agree to backstop the Super Bowl.
“I think the Super Bowl is a great opportunity, but it should never come at the risk of the Santa Clara taxpayers,” said Mayor Lisa Gillmor.
The City Council vote was 5-2 to approve the agreement. Voting in favor were the 49er Five: Raj Chahal, Albert Gonzalez, Karen Hardy, Suds Jain, and Kevin Park.
The team spent millions of dollars to elect each of them in City elections starting in 2020, an unprecedented amount of money for local elections.
Gillmor and Cox opposed.
[…] Clara News Online reported on the details of the Council action […]
My suggestion is to work on getting to know your neighbors, find out if they are registered to vote, and if not find out if they are interested in voting in the next election.
In the end, getting to know your neighbors is just a good thing to do.
Even if they don’t vote, worse case you made a friend.
Just the Facts Ma’am
Ground control to Mr Jain
Recall petitions all over your district
Take your protein pills as recall rocket. Has blasted off
Many residents see the Kertes capsule in full orbit
You really to pay attention its making the grade
Good sources in DV report considerable dissatisfaction with Levi’s Stadium execs by Homeland Security and other feds. Littlw Eggert in briefing top Homeland people.
Big surprise!
5-2!
Shame on you!
Gonzalez couldn’t wait to get the motion out of his mouth or was it marbles, Chahal used the opportunity to “basically” insult the Mayor, Hardy the mayor wannabe is primed to second her protégée’s motion, Park the insolent child has to be gaveled to shut his trap and Jain is thinking of what other friends will come and support him.
A pathetic ship of fools you 49er 5 are. All bought on Jed’s dime. You have certainly given him an unwarranted ROI.
Years from now and maybe not in the distant future your names will not be spoken favorably as city leaders.
Shame on you!
As we move forward into the City and Stadium Authority budget years that will involve funding for these global events in Santa Clara it is important that we track the following public dollar expenditures and revenues:
1. How much has the Stadium Authority spent on the Super Bowl and World Cup that remains unreimbursed?
2. How much have these unreimbursed expenditures reduced the Performance Rent payable to the City’s General Fund?
3. Using an independent (non 49er related) expert, how have these events benefited/diminished Santa Clara economically?
4. What City expenses have not been approved for reimbursement by the Host Committee?
Given the level of coverups engaged in by City staff, it is very unlikely that the public will ever get answers to these questions, but it is important that the public keep asking.
Who is standing up for us, the taxpayers? What should we do when our elected representatives don’t represent our best interest? Recalling one of the worst offenders is a good start. RECALL SUDS JAIN.]