While the Oakland A's and Golden State Warriors' potential moves out of Oakland are mere speculation and far from final, the San Francisco 49ers' move to Santa Clara is as serious as it gets. It only received an added boost on Wednesday.
Let's call it an all but done deal.
With that said, give yourself an extra allotted amount of time to get to the game and contain your excitement when you see this state of the art facility that will make Candlestick Park look like, well, Candlestick Park.
On Wednesday, the Santa Clara City Council unanimously voted to "endorse and fund" a $1 billion stadium in the South Bay (Cowboys Stadium cost $1.15 billion). The stadium will be located on the majority of the Great America parking lot just off of Highway 101.
For how long this deal has been in the works, it is amazing how the City of Santa Clara just now stacked their approval behind it. The City of San Jose has taken a similar but ultimately different route in acquiring a professional sports team in their city.
However, there are still more hoops to jump through for the 49ers' stadium to get "the go" on breaking ground, although i believe the quote from Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews on Wednesday said it best: "Tonight, we got a virtual shovel in the ground."
Matthews is convinced this is a done deal, and if the NFL agree as well, then the dream many years ago becomes that perfect reality for this team in dire need of a stadium to house their future success.
According to Mike Rosenberg of the San Jose Mercury News, there are two factors that will decide whether construction will actually begin.
The list of banks behind the loan of the $850 million needed to fund the $1 billion stadium will not commit to financing the stadium until the NFL gives the project the thumbs up. The NFL was scheduled to meet Wednesday, but no vote was scheduled to be taken.
Rosenberg said the NFL is expected to approve the stadium plan, but the 49ers are competing with several other teams for the league's money on the stadium, so not all is solid in stone.
If the 49ers building a $1 billion stadium is not enough to sway the masses, the fact it will be completed by 2014 should put many over the edge in terms of approval. Few are against this move for the 49ers anyways.
How could anyone not be for this move, though?
The team will now be closer to the 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara, the stadium plan looks incredible and the venue will be Super Bowl worthy with 75,000 seats. It will house this next chapter of 49ers football led by Jim Harbaugh.
To many, Candlestick Park was Montana, Rice, Young, DeBartolo, Walsh, etc. The stadium in Santa Clara could potentially be Harbaugh, Willis and whoever else wants to be a part of greatness in the years to come.
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