Judge Ruling Ends Attempt to Block New San Francisco 49ers Stadium

March 7, 2012

Ending a last-ditch effort to block the San Francisco 49ers’ new stadium, a judge has ruled that Santa Clara residents cannot vote on the project a second time, paving the way for construction to begin.

Officials with the 49ers officials praised the ruling Monday and said construction could begin this spring.

The judge made the ruling Monday in response to a last-ditch attempt by a group to block the city’s stadium deal. The group, Santa Clara Plays Fair, is opposed to city officials’ approval of $850 million in bank loans to fund the $1 billion stadium. It argued that the bank loan wasn’t part of the measure that voters approved in 2010.

The group tried to put the issue back on the June ballot. The city countered that the loan was an “administrative” act that didn’t need voter approval.

Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Peter Kirwan sided with the city.

by Ismail Uddin