What Happened to Candlestick Park? 49ers Home for 42 Years
The San Francisco 49ers called Candlestick Park home for 42 years, between 1971 and 2013. But what happened to the stadium? Here's what we know.
Jan. 23 2023, Published 3:49 p.m. ET
The San Francisco 49ers beat longtime rival the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 22, 2023, to advance in the NFL playoffs on the road to the Super Bowl. The 49ers’ 19–12 win over the Cowboys has many fans on social media reminiscing about the team’s 1994 playoff win over the Cowboys that led to their last Super Bowl win.
One video posted to Twitter shows the victory lap 49ers quarterback Steve Young took around Candlestick Park after beating the Cowboys 38–28 on Jan. 15, 1995. For 42 years, between 1971 and 2013, the 49ers called Candlestick Park home. So, what happened to Candlestick Park? Keep reading for all the details.
What happened to Candlestick Park?
Candlestick Park was demolished in 2015, a few years after the 49ers moved to Levi’s Stadium in nearby Santa Clara, Calif.
The park was initially built for the San Francisco Giants, a MLB team, after the team relocated to the Bay area from New York City in 1958. The park reportedly got its name from the long-billed curlews, often called “candlestick birds,” that inhabited the area.
How much did it cost to build Candlestick Park?
The construction of Candlestick Park broke ground on Aug. 12, 1958. The stadium was the first to be built of reinforced concrete, and the cost of construction topped $15 million, which would be over $137 million today.
The park officially opened on April 12, 1960. Richard Nixon, the U.S. vice president at the time, threw out the first pitch on opening day. The Oakland Raiders also played at the new stadium in 1960 and 1961 before moving to their own stadium.
In 1971, the 49ers moved their games from Kezar Stadium to Candlestick Park. The park was upgraded to the tune of $16.1 million, including installing AstroTurf, increasing the seating capacity to 61,000, and enclosing the park. The 49ers’ first game at Candlestick Park was played on Oct. 10, 1971.
Candlestick Park changed names a few times.
Sports venues are known for changing their names when they get sponsorships from major companies, and Candlestick Park was no exception. The park was renamed 3 Com Park between 1995 and 2002 after 3 Com Corp. bought the naming rights. Then the park was renamed Monster Park between 2004 and 2008 when Monster Cable Products, Inc., purchased the naming rights. The city of San Francisco reportedly eventually passed a ballot measure restricting the stadium name from being sold to the highest bidder, reports Stadiums of Pro Football.
Candlestick Park in 2013
Why did Candlestick Park get demolished?
Over the years, Candlestick Park started to deteriorate, and the sports teams that played there started looking for new venues that could house more fans. The San Francisco Giants played their last game at the park on Sept. 30, 1999, before moving to what is now Oracle Park.
The 49er played their last game in the park on Dec. 23, 2013, during a Monday Night Football game against the Atlanta Falcons. The last event held at the icon stadium was a Paul McCartney concert in August 2014.
Candlestick Park was demolished in 2015 to make way for a 635,000-square-foot mall. However, in 2019, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that developer FivePoint Holdings had scrapped the plan and instead planned to build 750,000 square feet of office and research space on the site.