Levi's Stadium
In 1997, San Francisco voters approved $100 million in city spending to build a new stadium and an attached shopping mall at Candlestick Point. The plan failed when owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. faced legal troubles and surrendered ownership of the team to his sister Denise DeBartolo York and brother-in-law John York. Mills Corporation, chosen by the 49ers, could not successfully construct a new stadium for the team. NFL owners had awarded the rights to host Super Bowl XXXVII to the project, but the game went to San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium instead. In November 2006, the team announced plans for a new stadium at Candlestick Point were not feasible due to extensive infrastructure costs. The 49ers turned their focus to making Santa Clara the home to their new stadium. Mayor Gavin Newsom wanted to bring the 2016 Summer Olympics to San Francisco, and a new stadium would sweeten the city's proposal. The announcement called for a new stadium that would be converted into a 68,600-seat stadium for the 49ers after the Olympics. The Olympic Village would be converted into low-income housing after the games were over. Team owners Denise DeBartolo York and John York announced on the 9th of November 2006, that the 49ers were shifting their efforts to create a new stadium to the city of Santa Clara. This sudden removal forced the San Francisco Olympics bid group to cancel its proposal, which engendered great anger from Mayor Newsom and 49ers legends like Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott.
Levi's Stadium was designed by HNTB, an internationally renowned architectural firm, with a focus on creating a multi-purpose venue. Civil engineering work was performed by Winzler & Kelly, which was acquired by GHD Group in 2011. Commissioning services were provided by Glumac. The stadium is designed as an open stadium with a natural grass field. It has a seating capacity of 68,500, expandable to approximately 75,000 to host major events like the Super Bowl and the FIFA World Cup. On the 27th of June 2015, The Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well Tour made history by extending the stadium seating capacity to 83,000, although only 77,000 attended the event over two nights. To date, the record attendance for a single day event was almost 80,000 for an Ed Sheeran concert on the 16th of September 2023. The seating design places approximately two-thirds of the fans in the lower bowl, which is one of the largest of its kind in the entire NFL. The configuration is similar to Ford Field, home of the NFL's Detroit Lions, with the majority of the luxury suites on one side of the field. As a multi-use facility, the stadium can be configured for special touring events including concerts, motocross events, indoor/outdoor conferences, and other community events. The stadium is also designed to meet the FIFA field geometry requirements for international soccer.
The official groundbreaking took place on the 19th of April 2012. On the 30th of July 2012, the first steel beams for the stadium were laid down. The first seats in Levi's Stadium were installed on the 1st of October 2013. Construction was halted on the 11th of June 2013, after a mechanic working on an elevator was struck by a counterweight and then fell down the shaft to his death. Work resumed two days later after officials from the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration declared the site safe. The stadium opened on the 17th of July 2014, originally scheduled to open on July 11 but pushed back due to construction delays. The first game played at the new stadium was a Major League Soccer match on the 2nd of August 2014, where the San Jose Earthquakes defeated Seattle Sounders FC 1, 0 before a crowd of 48,765. On the 17th of August 2014, the 49ers lost their first preseason game, 34, 0, against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. One fan at the game collapsed due to the heat and had to be rushed to a local hospital, where he died. In November 2013, stadium and 49ers' officials initially requested the NFL to not schedule any Monday or Thursday night home games during Levi's Stadium's inaugural season due to parking issues in the area surrounding the stadium during weekdays.
Stadium proponents claim that the stadium is currently one of the largest buildings registered with the U.S. Green Building Council. It is also believed to be the first stadium that will have both a green roof and solar panels. The 49ers are exploring collaborative opportunities with the Environmental Protection Agency to explore environmentally friendly components including use of an outside commissioning agent to verify energy-related systems. Construction included a green roof covering 27,000 square feet and photovoltaic panels covering 20,000 square feet. Use of paving materials and roofing materials with a high solar reflectance index was implemented. Recycled water was used for landscape irrigation, toilets, and urinals along with water-conserving fixtures. No CFC-based refrigerants were used in HVAC systems; instead, systems used refrigerants that minimize compounds contributing to ozone depletion. Installation of permanent monitoring systems provided feedback on ventilation system performance. Diversion, recycling, and/or salvaging 75% of non-hazardous construction waste occurred. Levi's Stadium received a Gold LEED Certificate, making it the first professional football stadium in the United States to receive this certification as new construction. In July 2016, Levi's Stadium converted part of the green roof to an organically maintained rooftop farm named the Faithful Farm after the 49ers' loyal following.
On the 14th of August 2015, Taylor Swift performed during The 1989 World Tour, drawing 102,139 fans and generating $13,031,146 in revenue. With a $14 million take from 107,550 sold tickets at the venue, Swift topped her own gross and attendance counts set during The 1989 World Tour in 2015. On the 16th of September 2023, Ed Sheeran's concert drew over 80,000 attendees, setting an attendance record for the stadium. The Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead took place June 27-28, 2015, with 151,650 total attendance across two nights and $21,549,139 in revenue. Beyoncé's Formation World Tour on the 16th of May 2016, drew 44,252 fans and generated $6,201,845. Coldplay's A Head Full of Dreams Tour on the 3rd of September 2016, attracted 52,404 spectators and earned $5,990,660. U2's Joshua Tree Tour 2017 on the 17th of May 2017, brought 50,072 fans and $6,268,805 to the stadium. The Rolling Stones' No Filter Tour on the 18th of August 2019, drew 47,578 attendees and generated $11,496,719.
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Common questions
When did Levi's Stadium officially open?
Levi's Stadium opened on the 17th of July 2014 after construction delays pushed back the original schedule. The first game played at the new stadium was a Major League Soccer match on the 2nd of August 2014.
Who designed Levi's Stadium and what is its seating capacity?
HNTB designed Levi's Stadium as an open venue with natural grass field and Winzler & Kelly performed civil engineering work. The stadium has a seating capacity of 68,500 seats expandable to approximately 75,000 for major events like the Super Bowl.
Where was the plan for a new stadium originally located before moving to Santa Clara?
San Francisco voters approved $100 million in city spending to build a new stadium at Candlestick Point in 1997. The team announced plans for a new stadium at Candlestick Point were not feasible due to extensive infrastructure costs in November 2006.
What environmental certifications does Levi's Stadium hold?
Levi's Stadium received a Gold LEED Certificate making it the first professional football stadium in the United States to receive this certification as new construction. Construction included a green roof covering 27,000 square feet and photovoltaic panels covering 20,000 square feet.
Which concert holds the highest attendance record at Levi's Stadium?
The Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead took place June 27-28 2015 with 151,650 total attendance across two nights. Taylor Swift drew 102,139 fans during The 1989 World Tour on the 14th of August 2015 which generated $13,031,146 in revenue.