Santa Clara mayoral candidate claims Levi’s Stadium financials fall short

Former Santa Clara Councilmember Kathy Watanabe is calling for an independent analysis of the economic benefit Levi’s Stadium provides to the city, saying residents deserve a clearer accounting of the stadium’s costs, revenues and contributions to city coffers.

Watanabe, a mayoral candidate in the upcoming Nov. 3 election, held a news conference Thursday in front of Levi’s Stadium. She said the city should examine whether local businesses are benefiting from major events at the publicly owned stadium, including the Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup. She wants more transparency on the money generated by Levi’s Stadium and how Santa Clara’s revenue is calculated.