Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Soccer part of a $1 billion San Jose vision

A group called 1stAct Silicon Valley is trying to put together a $1 billion plan that would include, amongst many other things, a stadium for a new soccer team. Some of the other projects in the plan include a new baseball stadium, upgrade to the convention center and the relocation of the San Jose Museum. The group hopes to have a presentation together by April that will show how all the changes will look.

There is something for just about everyone in the plan, but all these things cost money.

"It will look very good. The question is how do we (finance) it," says Dan Keegan, executive director of the San Jose Museum of Art, who is working with Ms. Martinez on finishing the proposal. "Right now, money isn't the emphasis. It's really about the vision."

Any plan involving a billion dollars is going to need some serious public funding. Currently the city of San Jose is projecting a $60 million deficit for the year. With these numbers, it is going to be a hard to sell this idea to the citizens of the city. However, supporters would point out that this has the chance of making the city a cultural and sporting hub in one big swoop.

As far as the soccer stadium, it would hold 25,000 and cost $155 million.

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