by Amaury Pi Gonzalez
photo credit: hsn.com–Souvenir cups like these will still be on the Safeway shelves by Valentines not purchased by local fans who could care less about Super Bowl 50
SAN JOSE–Just think if the Raiders were facing the 49ers on Superbowl 50. After you just picture that in your head for a few seconds, now remember it is the Denver Broncos against the Carolina Panthers in Santa Clara. Most pre-game events will take place in San Francisco and most accommodations from those specially coming from Denver, Colorado, area and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Tommi Avicolli Mecca, director of counseling for the Housing Rights Committee, said he hates seeing San Francisco, which is already facing a $100 million budget shortfall, spending an estimated $5 million in taxpayer dollars to host events leading up to next Sunday’s Super Bowl.
San Francisco’s Mayor Ed Lee and his his office has said the city will more than make up for its expenditures through hotel and other taxes. While the bowl will be played in Santa Clara in nearby Silicon Valley, the city will accommodate many visitors and most pre-game events.
Last week homeless people in San Francisco areas where some of these events will take place were told to move out. In August, the San Francisco Chronicle quoted Mayor Lee as saying that homeless people would need to get off the streets prior to the Super Bowl. “They are going to have to leave,” the paper reported him saying. The city counted nearly 6,700 homeless people last year.In August, the San Francisco Chronicle quoted Mayor Lee as saying that homeless people would need to get off the streets prior to the Super Bowl. “They are going to have to leave,” the paper reported him saying. The city counted nearly 6,700 homeless people last year.
The fact is that San Francisco today is not the San Francisco of the past. One of the most expensive areas to live in the country. A two-bedroom apartment rent goes for more than $4,600 a month, ironically this “wealth”is mostly driven by people that work in Silicon Valley(Santa Clara/San Jose)where Superbowl 50 is taking place, and were some of the world largest high technology companies have their headquarters.Demographics show that the Silicon Valley crowd has moved up north to San Francisco in many cases, like in the sunny Mission District a lot of their long time residents has either cashed out selling their properties and/or if they were renters moved out of town because they could not afford to live in San Francisco anymore.
Go to your local Safeway and in an area all about Superbowl 50, they sell cups and other souvenirs, but I do not see that merchandise moving much, it will still be there come St Valentine’s Day.
Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV voice for the Angels and the Spanish radio voice for the A’s and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
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