With dueling proposals for a new 49ers stadium in their current home (San Francisco) and their potential new home (Santa Clara) moving toward reality, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has reiterated his belief that the Niners seem to be intent on moving out of town.
“They want to turn the page,” Newsom told Brian Murphy and Paul McCaffrey of KNBR this morning. “They want to start anew.”
Newsome’s words come on the same day the San Francisco Chronicle printed on the front page an impressive artist’s rendering of the new venue that would be built in the city. (If you zoom in, you can see Mike Singletary dropping his pants. No, we’re still not yet ready to move on from that one.)
Former 49ers president Carmen Policy, who is advising the developer of the San Francisco site and Newsom, predicts that a new San Fran-based stadium could be “the most stunning NFL venue in the country.”
In Santa Clara, the city council recently voted to move forward with a ballot measure to approve a stadium near Great America amusement park. Still, an environmental lawsuit filed on Monday could throw a wrench in the gears. (Unless California legislators change the applicable law after the fact. But that could never happen, right?)
Even though the 49ers seem to be intent on moving out of town, the franchise belongs in San Francisco proper. And we’ve got a feeling that the league eventually will nudge the Niners in that direction.
After, of course, the franchise has secured every possible concession and sweetener from San Fran before breaking the news to Santa Clara that the team is getting back together with its old girlfriend.