49ers give Santa Clara ‘best and final offer’ in legal fight
The San Francisco 49ers are offering Santa Clara a deal that would pour millions of dollars in city coffers, a last ditch effort by the NFL team to end litigation that’s dragged on for more than two years.
The effort is the team’s “best and final offer,” and would add $18 million to the city’s general fund over the next two years, according to a letter obtained by San José Spotlight, in addition to increasing the team’s payment to cover public safety costs for events at Levi’s Stadium. For years, city officials have claimed the team hasn’t been paying its fair share of public safety costs, and the letter says this offer would end the ongoing arbitration. The city has until April 19 to respond to the offer.
Stadium Compliance Officer Larry MacNeil sent the letter on March 20 to the Santa Clara Stadium Authority, a governing body made up of members of the Santa Clara City Council.
“The purpose of this letter is to underscore the advantages to the parties of resolving these matters, describe some of the benefits that the city stands to gain, and to offer our perspective on why certain members of your Board will continue to actively undermine any settlement, no matter the terms,” the letter reads.
City Manager and Stadium Authority Executive Director Jovan Grogan acknowledged the message and said the stadium authority’s legal team has engaged with the 49ers in good faith over the past few months. He said he anticipates the stadium authority will review the proposal in a closed session within the next few weeks.
“At present, staff is analyzing the proposal and its alignment with progress made by both parties during confidential settlement negotiations,” Grogan told San José Spotlight. “The 49ers decision to issue a ‘best and final offer’ appears to be an effort to accelerate resolution of the issues.”
Grogan declined to comment on the proposal’s specifics, including whether it would generate $18 million for the city.
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