By Robert Haugh
At last night’s Santa Clara City Council meeting, former City Attorney Brian Doyle spoke out again about the problems between the City and FIFA for the 2026 World Cup.
“On June 13, 2022, (49er President) Al Guido signed an Addendum with FIFA knowing that the Stadium Authority would lose money by booking the World Cup,” said Doyle.
“He thought he could manipulate the 49er Council members into offsetting the loss with public funds from the Stadium Authority by telling them that the Bay Area Host Committee would make sure that the City did not have to pay the public safety costs for the matches.”
According to a May 2024 San Francisco Chronicle story by Ron Kroichick and Lance Williams, the current City Attorney Glen Googins confidentially told Council members that the City could lose $38 million on the 2026 World Cup.
During last night’s public testimony, Doyle also accused Guido of having a legal conflict of interests.
“By signing the Addendum on behalf of both ManCo (the 49er’s management company) and the Host Committee, he violated both Government Code Section 1090 which prohibits signing a contract with a corporation in which he had a financial interest and Government Code Section 87100 which prohibits participating in a decision that could have a reasonably foreseeable effect on a financial interest.”
As CEO of StadCo (49er’s stadium company) Mr. Guido has a financial interest in the Suite Revenue that StadCo receives for non-NFL events under the Lease.”
Doyle didn’t reserve his criticism just for Guido and the 49er Five. He also called out Googins for not protecting the financial interests of the City.
“On August 26, 2024, I made a public records request for an unredacted copy of the Addendum with FIFA to be able to enforce the Government Code against Mr. Guido for the harm that he has done to Santa Clara in order to increase his own 49ers profits.” said Doyle.
“Instead of enforcing the law, for the past two months, the City Attorney (Googins) has been covering up Mr. Guido’s violations by refusing to disclose the Addendum.”
“City staff’s coverup of ManCo’s legal violations and breach of contract has used up substantial City resources that staff admits that the 49ers have yet to reimburse the City for, in violation of Measure J,” said Doyle.
“It is time that the Council direct staff to bring a public report to allow the voters to evaluate whether staff is leading the City down the garden path toward financial ruin.”
Googins did not respond to Doyle.
In previous meetings when Doyle has raised the same issues, Googins said that he preferred to discuss the topics with the Council in executive session because of potential litigation and FIFA negotiations.
Father, writer/editor/journalist (santaclaranews.org), wrestling promoter (www.wfcwrestling.com), motorsports marketing, 2q37 rare disease advocate! View all posts by rhaugh2154
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