Levi’s Stadium will be able to host weekday concerts late into the night after the local authority agreed to overturn a 10pm curfew.
The 68,500-capacity home of the San Francisco 49ers previously had to go dark by 10pm on weeknights and 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, which stadium officials said has caused it to miss out on major concerts and a subsequent loss of revenue.
Santa Clara county officials this week voted to allow the venue to host up to five midweek non-NFL events per year that can go to 11pm.
In a statement, 49ers spokesperson Rahul Chandhok applauded the council’s vote to allow curfew extensions.
“This decision will help draw world class entertainment to Santa Clara and will not only excite those in our community who love live music, but will also generate necessary revenue for the City of Santa Clara, local hotels, and small business,” Chandhok said.
“It’s thoughtful policy and we hope to continue moving past the petty political disputes and dysfunction under Mayor Gillmor and Manager Santana.”
Levi’s Stadium has hosted major acts such as U2 and Beyoncé since opening in 2014, as well as WWE and NHL and soccer fixtures. Coldplay and Red Hot Chilli Peppers are due to play Levi’s next summer, with both concerts scheduled for weekends.
Some local residents have opposed the campaign for later shows, citing the disruption of noise and traffic congestion.
The Mercury News reports that the stadium lost $2.6m on non-NFL events in 2018-19. It also claims the 49ers have struggled to meet their obligations under the 20-year naming-rights agreement, signed in 2013, that allows the stadium to use the Levi’s name. The agreement requires them to hold at least 36 non-NFL events with more than 25,000 attendees in each three-year contract period. Levi’s has only seen five major events in the current contract period, the Mercury reports.
Levi’s Stadium is among the front-runners to stage 2026 FIFA World Cup matches and was recently visited by a FIFA delegation who will decide the host venues.
While Levi’s is not in the running to host ICC T20 World Cup 2024 games due to its field not being the required size, the 49ers is likely to have close connections to the tournament as Paraag Marathe, executive vice president of football operations, is the chair of USA Cricket.
Image: Fredrick Lee on Unsplash
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