Have you ever experienced being fooled? You know, someone tells you a story that turns out to be untrue or about a plan that turns out to be nonexistent. Of course, you have. And it happens in Santa Clara regularly.
Similarly, you may have considered someone to be your friend until you find out … they are not.
Santa Clara has been told many things by Mayor Lisa Gillmor, and there are perhaps even more things she didn’t tell you.
Face it, folks, we have been hosed.
Millions of dollars have been wasted, spent on pointless lawsuits and legal fights, and all at the expense of Santa Clara residents.
One of the biggest money machines for the Santa Clara community is Levi’s Stadium. At least, it should be.
But due to a fight with the city’s business partner that started years ago, Levi’s is one of the most under-utilized money-making stadiums in the country.
Is that because of the big bad 49ers? No … it’s not.
By contract, Santa Clara has total use and control of the stadium six months a year. The 49ers have the other six months during the football season.
The 49ers make hundreds of millions during their six months. Santa Clara makes pennies by comparison.
This is all due to this one simple fact. For reasons that we can only guess at, the champion of building Levi’s, Mayor Gillmor, did an about face and became the stadium’s loudest enemy. She has ridden that horse for over a decade … all to the detriment of residents.
By contract, the 49ers are here to stay. Yet our mayor continues to ignore that fact and the millions that could, and should, be coming to our city and, in turn, to serve our residents.
She even inserted a stipulation into last year’s infrastructure bond that prohibited city money from being used for additions, repairs and replacement on properties in, around or near the stadium. That includes the dilapidated convention center.
That clause was not for residents; it was to promote the mayor’s stadium-wrecking program. With the world coming to Santa Clara this summer, any mayor would want their city to look its best. Except Mayor Gillmor.
Mayor Gillmor’s personal vendetta against the stadium and the 49ers is costing residents millions of dollars.
Her disdain was played out at the recent Super Bowl right here in Santa Clara. No parties, no parades, no promotion, no receptions — so many wasted public opportunities.
This is your mayor.
Citizens of Santa Clara are paying for this with the millions that are being lost to the city’s bottom line and being the butt of jokes with the punch line, “Do you know the way to San José?” Santa Clara should have the stadium booked every week during our six months of ownership. Santa Clara deserves leadership that promotes our biggest and most impressive resident-owned asset.
Previous Milestones:
Milestones – Take the Win While You Can – Opinion
Milestones – What Are We Thinking? – Opinion
Milestones – What Super Bowl? – Opinion
