By Robert Haugh
Jed York wants Santa Clara taxpayers to pay for the 49ers’ office rent and stadium security. The potential bill? Nearly $28 million to $48 million — and that’s a low estimate.
According to a Mercury News story posted Friday morning by reporter Caelyn Pender, the 49ers have filed an arbitration case demanding $1.24 million in back rent and $620,000 annually going forward.
The team is also pursuing a separate dispute seeking another $400,000 annually for round-the-clock armed security at Levi’s Stadium.
Combined, the two demands would cost the public agency more than $1 million annually.
If the 49ers prevail on both demands, the estimated cost through 2052, when the current stadium lease expires, would be approximately $27.8 million, including the back rent.
And if the team exercises all five of its four-year lease extensions, the combined cost could climb to approximately $48.2 million.
Those are low-end projections. They assume no increases in rent or security costs over the next 26 to 46 years. They do not account for inflation or other potential cost increases. The actual dollar amounts could be substantially higher.
The Santa Clara Stadium Authority rejected the team’s rent demands during budget hearings in both 2025 and 2026.
But the 49ers apparently aren’t taking no for an answer.
The team moved its business offices out of Levi’s Stadium into a 52,000-square-foot building on Great America Parkway. The Stadium Authority wasn’t consulted about the move.
Now the 49ers want the public agency to help pay the rent.
Mayor Lisa Gillmor questioned the demand.
“Why are we paying their rent?” Gillmor told the Mercury News.
According to Pender, the 49ers filed their rent arbitration in July. The Stadium Authority formally opposed the claim in August. An arbitrator was assigned October 7.
The security dispute remains in pre-arbitration.
Gillmor also questioned why the arbitration had been kept from public view.
“Keeping this quiet from the public is wrong,” she told the Mercury News.
On Sept 18 there was a report on NBC Bay Area that the Niners opened the “Elevate Club” an exclusive speakeasy type bar in the space where they used to have stadium operations employees who they moved out to rented space. So they want the Stadium Authority to pay their rent for the employees that they moved. The Stadium Lease already allocated space for their employees at the Stadium. Now they want Santa Clara to effectively subsidize the new club by paying for offsite rented space. We have to elect a council that will stand up to this nonsense.
All the MORE reason to get Hardy and Chahal off the council. We know how they love to vote in favor of the Niners. If we get Madej, Inciatre and Kertes voted in, there will be no rubber stamping of their requests. VOTE!!!!!