The talk and speculation surrounding the San Francisco 49ers new stadium has been quite the circus act thus far, but signs pointing to actual development have started to arise, beginning with the start of make-ready work around the new stadium's location.
The building process is set to begin in early 2012 with make-ready work (construction terminology); a series of projects to prepare the area for the actual construction of the 68,500-seat venue near Great America Amusement Park on the corner of Tasman Drive and Centennial Boulevard.
The work will consist of things like utility relocations, a new pump station, construction of bridges and other important tasks. It's expected the construction of the stadium will be ongoing over three years, and it will create a positive economic impact in the area, though the entire project will cost around $1 billion.
"Of course, relocation of power structures, installation of sewer lines and the preparation of other infrastructure to support the building are not as exciting as our unveiling of the Preview Center last week," said the stadium's project coordinator Jack Hill. "This is a critical component in the process, and we are ready to launch in early 2012."
The timeline for the stadium's construction is expected to be released at a Stadium Authority board meeting later this calendar year.