The San Francisco 49ers will be playing in their new stadium in Santa Clara for the 2014 season, one year ahead of schedule.
As reported by the Mercury News, Santa Clara leaders on Friday finalized a deal with a major construction firm to start building in the next few months. That means the groundbreaking ceremony will take place some time near the end of Spring this year.
"We're going to be playing football here in 2014," Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews said. "I have no doubt whatsoever."
Team CEO Jed York spoke a few weeks ago with the media and said that the team would have the new stadium ready no later than 2015, but remained optimistic that it could be ready a year earlier. Now that possibility appears to be a reality.
If the opening of the stadium ended up being delayed until 2015, construction partner Turner-Devcon would have faced tens of millions of dollars in financial penalties.
A week ago, the NFL funded $200 million toward the building of the stadium, wrapping up the final stage of all the necessary finances for construction. The $1 billion project's completion means the 49ers will have two more seasons at Candlestick Park before moving into their new home.
The team headquarters is loacted right next to the site of the new stadium. This past week, the team began renovating the headquarters in preparation for the team's new football home.
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