First, if you haven't visited the website for the new stadium, you owe it to yourself to do so.  It's available at http://www.49ersnewstadium.com.  Be sure to look through all of the sections and supporting information.  Wow!  For those of you who haven't yet seen the website or are still pining for a San Francisco-based stadium (even if located in the Hunter's Point area) here is a statistical comparison of the features of Candlestick Park versus the new stadium in Santa Clara:

                                              Candlestick        New Stadium

Year Opened                         1960                    2014

Cost to Build                           $32 million          $937 million

Total Seating Capacity           69,900                68,500

Club Seats                              0                         9,000

Suites                                     94                       162

Stadium Sq. Footage             985,000              1,850,000

Concourse Width (ft)              19                       63

Scoreboard Sq. Footage        1,296                  5,168

Fascia Scoreboards               0                         2

Fascia Scoreboard Area         0                        4,800

Elevators                                 3                       17

Escalators                               6                       30

Concession Pts. of Sale         239                   370

Restroom Fixtures                  885                   1,135

Heavy Rail Line                      No                     Yes

Light Rail Line                        No                     Yes

Parking Spaces                     18,000               40,000

Freeway Entries / Exits          4                        13 

The new stadium appears to me to be vastly superior in every conceivable way.  I attended several Giants games at Candlestick in 1960.  All aspects of its creation (location, access, weather, design, construction materials, workmanship, etc.) were political footballs from the day it was first announced.  "The City that knows how" has always been a miserable failure when it comes to any public or public-supported facility. Honestly, Candlestick has ALWAYS been a dog, even from day one.  Yes, it has been host to a lot of history. And, yes, not having the 49ers playing in San Francisco is an emotional issue for many of us.  But, as a former resident of San Francisco proper I can tell you that, given San Francisco politics over the last 60 years and the aftermath of the downtown ballpark, there is NO WAY IN HELL that any new football stadium could get built in San Francisco, even one with half the features of the proposed Santa Clara stadium.  What we would end up with is Candlestick Park II, so the politicians could say "we did the right thing."  Who needs it?  I think that the design features of the new Santa Clara stadium, taking advantage of improved weather, improved access, and substantially larger layout for people and cars, will be great.  I only hope that it get built.