SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- 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 Wednesday the stadium wouldn't open until at least 2015 because of problems securing financing. The team had expected to open the stadium in 2014.
York said the 49ers wouldn't be able to secure 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 said the 49ers wouldn't encounter the same financing problems if it chose to stay in the city.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press