Political fight under way as Coldplay breaks curfew at Levi's Stadium

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KTVU) - Levi's Stadium officials say a sold-out crowd of 45,000 people attended the Coldplay concert Wednesday night in Santa Clara.The British band's performance featured lights, pyrotechnics and light-up wrist bands.

As organizers warned, Coldplay went over the 10 p.m. weeknight curfew and played until around 11 p.m. This comes as a political war of words escalates between Santa Clara City Council Members.

"They definitely had an issue with the traffic, the noise, the fireworks, or their windows being shook, their houses being shook," said Santa Clara City Council Member Kathy Watanabe.

Watanabe lives near the stadium and heard those complaints from neighbors.

Kevin Brown who lives across the street from Levi's Stadium, didn't mind the concert running until 11 p-m.

"If you like the music, it doesn't bother you. But if it's a band you don't like, then people get annoyed," said Brown. "I think the larger problem is more than airplanes and helicopters that fly (during stadium events.)"

Coldplay marks the 3rd concert to go over the 10 p.m. weekday curfew, as did U2 earlier this year and Beyonce last year.

Vice Mayor Dominic Caserta says he heard nothing negative, only praise from those who attended. Caserta says those past weekday concerts brought in $800,000 each, half of which goes to the city's general fund.

He supports the 49ers which want the curfew extended for up to 4 weekday concerts a year.

"What we approved and campaigned on was the economic benefits of the stadium and the stadium is doing exactly what we approved," said Caserta. "But the appointed mayor has a political vendetta. She likes kabuki theater type of drama."

Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor in a statement replied:

"Dominic Caserta has taken thousands of dollars in political contributions from the 49ers. So he may have forgotten that the team needs to follow a law that protects Santa Clara neighborhoods."

The 49ers say Ed Sheerhan canceled a performance because of the curfew.

49ers President Al Guido in a statement said:

"We have already lost one event and will continue to lose more, costing thousands of local jobs, millions of dollars in needed revenue, and the world-class entertainment options that other major cities enjoy."

The newly hired City Manager in the next month is expected to bring a plan to the council to survey all Santa Clara residents, along with some in Sunnyvale and San Jose, about stadium-related issues including traffic and noise.

"I think they need to have more of a backbone in terms of enforcement," said neighbor Kevin Brown.

The city now plans to issue the $750 dollar fine to the stadium management for breaking the curfew.

At this point, there are no other weekday concerts planned.