By Robert Haugh
The San Francisco Chronicle broke another major story – and it’s not a good one for Santa Clarans.
Here are the first three paragraphs of their report posted online late Friday:
“Santa Clara stands to lose up to $38 million hosting the World Cup at Levi’s Stadium in 2026 because of deals signed by San Francisco 49ers president Al Guido, the city attorney warned City Council members.
Until now, Santa Clara officials balked at revealing how they plan to pay for hosting six World Cup matches at the publicly owned stadium, releasing only heavily redacted financial documents and rebuffing requests for information under the state Public Records Act.
But city attorney Glen Googins privately told council members this month that Santa Clara faces multimillion-dollar losses on the event, according to city records and a Chronicle source familiar with internal communications.”
Wow. And Ouch.
It’s not a done deal. But the City protections may rely on a City Attorney who has had an ethical issues raised about him.
Here’s what the Chronicle reported:
“Googins, in a statement emailed Friday to the Chronicle, described ‘active negotiations’ with the Bay Area Host Committee, the 49ers and FIFA regarding the costs for World Cup events. He said the host committee has agreed to reimburse the city for public safety costs, ‘with the details for this and many other terms still under negotiation.’”
Santa Clara News Online readers may remember that three years ago Councilmember Karen Hardy committed the City to the event but didn’t know any details.
Since 2020, the 49er Five have made a lot of bad deals on behalf of Santa Clara taxpayers to help out the team. This looks like it could be the worst one.
This is a breaking story and SCNO will have more reports next week.
Father, writer/editor/journalist (santaclaranews.org), wrestling promoter (www.wfcwrestling.com), motorsports marketing, 2q37 rare disease advocate! View all posts by rhaugh2154
More money for the 49ers. Santa Clara Now slated to spend $1 million to support Jain.
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