Milestones – Reality Begins with a Thought! – Opinion

The SF 49ers appear to have solved some hurdles in overcoming the challenges of their opponents. The 49ers continue to draw a stadium-packing crowd at football games. In addition, Levi’s Stadium continues to provide a terrific venue for major profile events, providing funds for stadium debt reduction, refurbishing and even demolition.

In a high-profile working relationship, Santa Clara, the 49ers, the 49er Management Company and Levi’s Stadium have become an enviable wealth-producing partnership.

However, there is one problem that persists…parking. Getting into and out of stadium parking within an hour or two or more is…a yet-to-be-solved mystery.

After leaving a game or event that may last three hours or more, leaving the stadium, finding your car, and waiting in line to leave, can make for a cranky visitor.

Stadium parking is a puzzle that is perplexing the populous and perturbing patrons.

It would seem that by this time, the partnership between Santa Clara and the 49ers would have found a resolution to the mystery maze that visitors face exiting after any major event.

Admittedly, Levi’s Stadium is a leap ahead of Candlestick Park. However, parking remains on the “to do” list that seems to have slipped into limbo.

With all the genius generated by the 49ers and the talented team at Santa Clara City Hall, a plan for resolution should be high on the priority list.

Guests making their way to an event at Levi’s is fine for those arriving early, doing a cookout and BBQ…no problem. However, for most patrons attending a game or celebrity performance who just want to see the action or entertainment, parking remains a major league problem.

Admittedly, ingress and egress to Levi’s will always pose challenges. But as the City and the 49ers work on their game plans for upcoming events, solving the mystery of pleasurable and organized parking should rank high on the priority package.

One solution that can be characterized as controversial is relocating the soccer park, which sits next to the stadium. It covers ten acres of prime ground that Mayor Gillmor and her husband (and Santa Clara Youth Soccer League Coaching Director) consider sacred.

However, what if…a new location could be arranged to accommodate the soccer players?

The only sizable open acreage in town remaining is the old golf course controlled by Related Companies. They have had control of these 240 acres of property for ten years at nominal expense.

What if…Related, the City and the 49ers could agree on a joint (and jointly financed) plan to move two entities onto the golf course property? One facility would be the soccer fields and the second would accommodate Santa Clara’s new swim center.

Both the swim center and soccer fields could share parking space and participant facilities.

Yes, you are correct. There are a lot of ‘ifs’ contained in this proposal. However, with $50,000 to $100,000 in revenue per event from 1,000 cars using those six acres for premium parking, it would go a long way toward creating a better reality for both stadium visitors and neighborhood residents.