Members of the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff took a sneak peak at the franchise's future home last month.
A handful of coaches took a break in between scouting college prospects to visit the new Santa Clara Stadium site where the 49ers will begin play in 2014.
Project executive Jack Hill led the coaches on a stadium tour, taking them up to the third level of the building just like the stadium preview tours that are currently being offered.
The coaches quickly marveled over the stadium site which currently features more than 900 daily workers on-site.
"I think it's real exciting in the sense of seeing it going up and the impact it'll have on the economy here," offensive line coach Mike Solari said of the tour. "It's going to be a beautiful facility."
Solari, himself, has periodically snapped photos of the rapidly growing construction ever since last April's groundbreaking ceremony.
The offensive line coach works with some of the biggest players in the National Football League, yet he couldn't help but marvel over the size of the 1.85 million square foot facility once he stepped inside.
"Just the size, the way it's set up is going to be beautiful," the veteran coach explained. "The press box, the way it is, how big it's going to be and the top floor, you're going to be able to walk around upstairs and see the view of the city."
Coaches like Solari couldn't help but soak up all the scenery inside of the park. They also valued the information being given to them by Hill, their personal tour guide for the day.
"Jack did a great job of going over the details – the man hours spent here is just amazing," Solari added. "It's been 24/7 with how they've been working. It's amazing with what they've done with the iron and how it's gone up so quickly."
Solari, a veteran offensive line coach who worked with the 49ers originally from 1992-96 before returning for a second stint before the 2010 season, appreciated the constant effort it's taken to construct a premier outdoor entertainment venue.
"They work in the morning, the afternoon and at night," Solari said of the construction workers. "They've been getting it done."
The same can be said for the 49ers coaches who've won back-to-back NFC West division titles.
But until the coaching staff can enjoy the first season of the new building, Solari will relish one last year at Candlestick Park.
Watching the steady progress of the new Santa Clara Stadium has been enjoyable. It's also allowed him to appreciate the experiences he's had at Candlestick.
"It really does. Candlestick, there has been a lot of great football games and a lot of history with the 49ers at Candlestick," Solari said. "But again, with the new stadium, it's going to be amazing."
