By Khalida Sarwari
The San Francisco 49ers are hoping to lure fans who have a little extra pocket money to buy a suite at the new stadium in Santa Clara.
Legends Premium Sales, the marketing agency selected to manage and sell stadium builders licenses, or seat licenses, has sold $173 million in suites so far.
The agency is anticipating reaching $200 million in suite sales by the end of the year. Proceeds will go toward construction of the planned $987 million stadium next to the Great America theme park.
The team has opened a $2.5 million preview center to give prospective suite, club seat, and season ticket holders a visual of what their experience at the new stadium would look like.
“What we’re building is a physical manifestation of what the 49ers represent and what Silicon Valley represents,” said 49ers chief operating officer Paraag Marathe during a media tour of the preview center at the Techmart building in Santa Clara today.
Located within the 7,000-square foot center are a 49ers history timeline, a stadium model, a mock suite, an interactive map that shows parking, access and public transit, and a 9-foot “touchwall” created by HP that shows the interior and exterior finishes of the stadium.
The new 68,500-seat stadium would have four levels of suites — 165 in total and with most of them on one side of the venue. The suites feature amenities such as Italian porcelain tile flooring, a kitchen area, a coat closet, flat screen monitors with cable, polished glass and bamboo wood buffet counter, and fully upholstered theater-style seats.
Suite owners will have the option of customizing certain aspects of the suites, such as furniture and images on the wall, Al Guido, vice president of sales and service for Legends, said.
The stadium is scheduled to open in time for the 2015 football season.
Stadium designers are envisioning an open-air multi-purpose facility resembling a C-shaped bowl surrounded by ascending seating suitable for professional and college football, as well as professional soccer, motocross, concerts, and Super Bowl and World Cup events.
