San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said this afternoon that he plans on meeting with 49ers president Jed York later today to discuss ways he might be able to keep the football team in the city.
The 49ers are hoping to move south to Santa Clara if a stadium can be built there, but Lee said he wants to keep an open dialogue with the team in case financing for that plan falls through.
“We’ve known this for some years, that we’re plan B,” he said.
“But if there’s any way for us to improve our ability,” Lee said, he wants to discuss it with York.
The team currently plays at Candlestick Park, but San Francisco also has plans to potentially build a new stadium in Hunters Point as part of the redevelopment of that area if the team decided to stay in town.
Lee said his office is keeping a close eye on whether the NFL approves of the Santa Clara deal.
“I’ve suggested that if there’s another shot at this, it would be whether the NFL will signal that maybe they need some different economics involved in this, and we’ll be ready for that,” he said.
The mayor said that along with negotiations, there are congratulations in order, after the 49ers clinched the NFC West division title last Sunday against St. Louis.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
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