Hunters Point could be in play for the Niners

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 11/20/6 | Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross

[SmithL]

With the 49ers' plan for a new stadium at Candlestick Point sunk in the mud, insiders at San Francisco City Hall are revisiting the idea of building at Hunters Point -- in an area that could be paved over with lots of parking.

Here's why.

Cut through all the double talk, and the 49ers' problems come down to two key points.

One: All the Niners are really interested in is a new stadium and a parking lot. Despite all the smiles and public pronouncements over the years, they are not comfortable with the mega housing and retail development deal they cut with the city and Lennar Corp. to pay for the stadium. And they don't want the multilevel parking garage at Candlestick that was going to go along with it.

And two: Their relations with Mayor Gavin Newsom haven't been great and aren't getting a lot better.

Team spokeswoman Lisa Lang said Friday that "our goal is to build a stadium -- not a small city." Trying to get the malls and 6,500 units of housing done along with a 68,000-seat stadium, all while playing in the existing Monster Park, put the team's envisioned 2012 finish date in jeopardy, she said.

Hence the Niners' decision to turn their attention to Santa Clara, where co-owner John York and his family thought building would be easy.

"They sort of have this Midwestern, suburban 1970s view of how things can get done,'' said one San Francisco official who talked with the Yorks in recent days.

"They want a new stadium," said the official, who didn't want his name used because of the ongoing talks. "They want a smooth transition from the current one to the new one. And they don't want all of this other stuff that they just don't understand.''

[SmithL]

[SmithL]

The NFL and San Francisco Politics Ping

[scott says]

NFL PING

FReepmail scott says to be added to, or to be taken off the NFL Ping list...

This is a fairly high volume ping list

[Mr. Jeeves]

The location is part of the problem - Hunters Point makes it worse, as they would have to build a large access road from 101 to the site, requiring condemnation of ghetto housing along the route. The once-mentioned China Basin site near AT&T Park might have worked, though it would have created traffic nightmares.

York should just ignore all of the caterwauling San Francisco politicians and go full speed ahead with the Santa Clara plan. No San Francisco site would be adequate, and any new plan would require paying off too many rent-seekers.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

The Forty-Niners are moving to Long Island City?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

"They sort of have this Midwestern, suburban 1970s view of how things can get done,'' said one San Francisco official who talked with the Yorks in recent days.

They must believe in NO political payoffs....not Kalifornia like at all.....