Thursday's groundbreaking ceremony marked a new chapter in 49ers history.

I remember hearing about the Santa Clara stadium years ago and was against it. Growing up as a 49ers fan and being alive for their magical Super Bowl runs, I felt that the 49ers should always remain in San Francisco. Having them move to another place 38 miles south from a place they call home just didn’t feel right to me.

There were times where I would feel San Francisco didn’t make enough effort to establish a new stadium for the 49ers. I felt that Santa Clara was a sign of a major change for the team that would tarnish their great history.

I wanted the 49ers to be in San Francisco. It was just right to me. But in those years since all up until last night’s groundbreaking ceremony, I’ve had a change of heart.

I would still have preferred if the 49ers remained in San Francisco but after working closely with the team for the past few seasons and witnessing first hand in the process of the team’s plans of building a stadium in Santa Clara, I now understand and feel that this new stadium is the best thing for the team.

Candlestick Park has a lot of great memories but it’s a dump. Getting to the stadium is a hassle and getting out of it is worse. It’s not very attractive to the eye and after their blackout Monday Night Football game, it’s not very up to date with all the right technologies.

A new stadium would not only save the franchise’s image, but it will provide the players a better place to play. The team deserves it.

The features of the new stadium will be something that will bring fans from all over the place. Plus, this opens up so many more jobs and opportunities for the city. It’s a tough change to accept, but it’s one that must be done.

It makes so much sense for the 49ers to have a new stadium in Santa Clara. The team headquarters is right next to the site and having the convenience can benefit the team in the long run. The focus is bringing great memories for the future of the team.

One of the things that people held onto when it came to staying in San Francisco were the memories. But change has to happen. The team had to eventually move out of Kezar. And now, the team has to move out of Candlestick. The team now is set for greatness in the future and it’s time to focus on the future, not hold on to memories of the past.

I will still feel sad that I no longer will be going to games at Candlestick but at the same time, there’s an excitement about a new stadium and the possibilities it provides. The city could end up hosting a Super Bowl with the new stadium and Santa Clara could be the venue to some very exciting rock concerts.

There’s a lot of possibilities with this new stadium and it will be great for the team moving forward. It’s bittersweet that Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony was the beginning of the end of the 49ers’ time at Candlestick. But with so much talent and potential  on the team’s roster now, it’s time to start looking forward towards the future.