A Goodbye to Candlestick Park

Construction started in the summer of 1958, and in 1960, the iconic Candlestick Park opened as the home field for the San Francisco Giants. The Vice President at the time, Richard Nixon, threw out the first pitch on opening day, April 12, 1960, and the Beatles played their final full concert at Candle Stick Park in August 1966.

Located on the western shore of the San Francisco Bay on Candlestick Point, the stadium has hosted the Giants from 1960 to 1999, the San Francisco 49ers from 1971 to 2013, and the Oakland Raiders from 1960 to 1961.

With such a rich history, it’s easy to see why the closing of this park is going to affect so many people on so many different levels.

San Francisco Giants

For 39 years, Candlestick Park was home to the winningest team in the history of American Baseball as well as any North American professional sports team. The San Francisco Giants have won 22 National League pennants as well as 7 World Series Championships, second only to the St. Louis Cardinals with their 11 World Series wins.

In 2000, the Giants were moved into their new home, AT&T Park (formerly Pacific Bell Park) where they’ve been ever since.

San Francisco 49ers

The longest run at Candlestick Park was held by the San Francisco 49ers, with both baseball and football games being held in the same stadium. In fact, the park is actually the only NFL stadium that started as a baseball field.

With iconic players like Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Jerry Rice, the San Francisco 49ers have had an amazing history. Considered to be one of NFL’s greatest dynasties, the 49ers won five Super Bowl Championships in 14 years, winning four out of the five in the 1980s alone. They’re also known for having won the most regular season games in the 1980s and 90s.

Given their amazing run at Candlestick Park, along with the history left behind by the Giants, it’s safe to say that closing the park will be a bittersweet day for many.

The New Levi’s Stadium

A new era for the San Francisco 49ers will begin in August 2014 when the new Levi’s Stadium opens its doors to the future. The new stadium will house a 49ers museum and team store as well as boasting state of the art technology throughout. There will be two video scoreboards measuring an incredible 48’ by 200’ that are the largest of their kind for an outdoor stadium. Another fantastic feature installation at Levi’s Stadium will be the NRG Solar Terrace which sets a precedence for other NFL stadiums in regards to sustainability and environmental and economic consciousness.

For the upcoming opening event, noted artist Derek Gores has called upon the coaches, staff, and 49ers players to work together to create an art collage that will be displayed with over 200 original pieces and 500 photographs in The Art Collection at Levi’s Stadium. A celebration of the history of the San Francisco 49ers, the art collection will also include work by 23 different artists, 20 of which are from California.

We can’t forget about the food and beer! Sports, food, and beer go hand in hand, so you can rest assured those needs will be met thanks to a craft beer bar and Bourbon Steak & Pub, the restaurant that will combine delicious steakhouse fare with pub favorites.

All good things must come to an end, and the time has come for Candlestick Park to relinquish its home for the 49ers to the new Levi’s Stadium when it opens in August of this year. Just as there were many great sports memories made at Candlestick, there will be many more to come at Levi’s Stadium.