Newsom Pulling For 49ers to Stay In The City
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS/KCBS) - As Mayor Gavin Newsom gets ready to leave office he still holds out hope that the 49ers stay in San Francisco.
The mayor has been patient on the long-standing stadium lease dispute and he feels the latest developments bode well for the team's future in San Francisco.
Last month the dispute over maintenance of the stadium at Candlestick Point was finally resolved when the 49ers signed a new four-year lease that includes the possibility of yearly extensions until 2023.
The team hopes to be playing in a new stadium in Santa Clara by 2015. But Mayor Newsom feels as long as the 49ers are in San Francisco, there's a good bet they'll stay here.
KCBS' Barbara Taylor Reports:
"If something goes wrong in Santa Clara the 49ers will be uniquely positioned to within weeks get building permits to start construction on a San Francisco stadium, because every single thing that needed to be done has been done," Newsom said.
Phil Ginsberg the head of the Rec and Park Department also hopes this new lease will open some opportunities to keep the team.
"We've been in discussions with them about frankly how much longer they're going to be in the stadium. We desperately want to keep them," said Ginsberg.
Mayor Newsom is leaving office next week to become lieutenant governor and said he'll use his new roll as chair of the State Lands Commission to promote San Francisco as the joint home for both the 49ers and the Raiders.
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