Kathy Watanabe, a former city councilmember, wants more transparency on the money generated by Levi's Stadium and how Santa Clara's revenue is calculated.
She has called for an independent accounting of those benefits at a press conference held at the stadium Thursday. She said residents deserve a clearer accounting of the stadium's costs, revenues and contributions to city coffers.
San Jose Spotlight reports Watanabe wants an examination on whether local businesses are benefiting from major events at the publicly owned stadium, including this year’s Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup.
Watanabe has not identified a specific amount she thinks Santa Clara is owed, because reports are not yet available.
The Bay Area Host Committee — an umbrella organization that oversees major sporting events in the region — disputed the suggestion that Santa Clara has not benefited financially.
An economic impact analysis commissioned three years ago by the San Francisco 49ers — the stadium’s main tenant — estimated that Levi’s Stadium had generated $2 billion in total economic impact to Santa Clara County from 2014 to 2023.
