The Sunnyvale Sun

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Sunnyvale huddles over the 49ers' stadium plan

By Stephen Baxter

Following the San Francisco 49ers' game plan to build a 68,000-seat stadium in Santa Clara by the 2012 season, Sunnyvale officials are working out a defensive strategy to handle the thousands of fans who would attend games there.

The proposed football stadium would be built about a half-mile from the Sunnyvale boundary near Tasman Drive and Great America Parkway. Game day traffic could add 5,800 cars to surrounding roads, according to a city staff report. More traffic could mean more shoppers and diners in the city, as well as new hotels and businesses near busier light rail stations.

However, Sunnyvale might also have to pay for more traffic and police services.

At its Feb. 13 meeting, the city council joined the San Jose City Council and state Sen. Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara) in opposing a bill aimed at keeping the team in San Francisco. The bill, known as SB49, was written by state Sen. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco), and would forbid local governments from funding a project that would move a team's stadium.

Details are few on the proposed 49ers stadium in Santa Clara, but a Sunnyvale city staff report indicates Sunnyvale's hotels, restaurants and shops might get a boost, and more hotels might be built.

"It would be a big plus down here," said Sunnyvale Vice Mayor Tony Spitaleri, who is a New York Jets fan. He said traffic also would likely increase, and that the total impact is unknown. "Right now it's too premature for the council to take a position," he said.

Fans would likely travel on Highway 101 and Lawrence Expressway on game days and for concerts and other events, and they also might park near the five Valley Transportation Authority light rail stations along Fair Oaks Avenue and Java and Tasman drives in Sunnyvale. There is a light rail station near the proposed stadium.

Demand for parking would increase within a 15-minute drive of the stadium, and the 49ers want at least 20,000 parking spaces in that distance, according to the city documents. Santa Clara also is considering building a three-story parking garage near the Hilton Hotel on Tasman and Great America Parkway.

Santa Clara has indicated it would need to hire more police to patrol a potential stadium, and crowds that spill into Sunnyvale may also bring more car burglaries and assaults.

The San Francisco Police Department makes six arrests at a typical 49ers game at Monster Park, the report said. Problems stem from drunken fans, ticket scalpers, people selling counterfeit items and driving accidents.