National Football League

49ers push back date for Santa Clara stadium

Published Oct. 21, 2010 2:29 p.m. ET

foxsports

The San Francisco 49ers are pushing back the expected opening date of their planned $1 billion stadium in Santa Clara.

Team President Jed York said on Wednesday the stadium would not open until at least 2015 because of problems securing financing. The team had expected to open the stadium in 2014.

York said the 49ers would not be able to get needed funding for the stadium from the NFL and other investors until the players' union and league agree on a new contract.

Santa Clara residents voted in June to lease land to the 49ers for a new stadium next to the Great America theme park. The vote allowed the team to move forward with its plans to leave San Francisco.

San Francisco officials say the team would not encounter the same financing problems if it chose to stay in the city.