Levi's Stadium to offer Niners fans a fun, luxurious pre-game option

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) -- They're just about ready to cut the ribbon on the 49ers' new $1.3 billion home. That ceremony will be held on July 17. On Tuesday, ABC7 News got to take the grand tour for a first look at the technology and new tailgating options.

"We knew early in the process that we would host the Super Bowl," Jack Hill said.

According to Hill, the 49ers' project executive overseeing the construction of Levi's Stadium, no expense has been spared in making the home of Super Bowl 50 bigger and more technologically advanced than every other NFL stadium in the league.

"You'll see some of the spaces that we've put together that are oversized for what we would consider to be a regular football stadium," Hill said.

Nothing there is like a regular football stadium. The players' media room has larger seats and the fan experience will be enhanced by the latest advancements in technology.

"As you have probably heard Jed York say, 'We don't want to be the biggest, we want to be the smartest,' so they've put a lot of their resources in to make sure they're the smartest," Hill said.

Every inch of the facility is constantly monitored with a commercial electronic system -- a complex combination of sensors and high definition cameras. Adding to the experience of Levi's Stadium, video boards -- 200 feet long and 48 feet high -- will replay the action on the field. There will be a distributive antenna system across the stadium to make it easier for fans to tweet, text or send video of every moment they capture.

"We're right here in Silicon Valley. As you would expect, this is going to be the smartest stadium," Hill said.

The 49ers are also offering fans a new option when it comes to tailgating.

There are 12 parking lots around Levi's Stadium. Nine of them will allow open-blame barbecuing, while open flames are banned in three others. Tailgating is not allowed in seven others.

California's Great America is putting finishing touches on a new pavilion where the theme park and the 49ers will operate a pre-game red zone rally.

A 10-game package gets fans food, beverages, entertainment and multiple TV screens for $850 per person. The pre-game package also includes access to Great America's coasters.

"But then you have also people that are coming in with a family who want to get here early, maybe to beat traffic, who want to have space to take their kids, so this was just another add-on to that," said 49ers Chief Operating Officer Al Guido. "We're trying to make sure that we have a bunch of different amenities and offerings for all walks of fans."

With 51 days until the first pre-season game, a dry run will be conducted Sunday to test readiness for 68,000 fans arriving by car and public transit.

Tasman Drive will be closed all day to see how long it takes to put up barricades and turn the street into a game day pedestrian zone.

Mayor Jamie Matthews is confident fan access will go smoothly. "We have a way-finding app that's been created by the 49ers and also by VTA which we share, which will make it easy for people not only to transfer between transit systems, but also for them to know where to park and where it's open," Matthews said.

Construction is 94 percent complete and according to the 49ers, well on pace for their planned, invitation-only, ribbon cutting ceremony on July 17.