Santa Clara's assistant city manager, Chuck Baker, is set to leave the city by the end of the year, a move that pulls the official overseeing Levi’s Stadium and the convention center off the job just weeks before Super Bowl LX and months before FIFA World Cup matches. City staff told a local outlet that Baker remains employed but will be departing "to pursue other opportunities," leaving a tight window for staffing changes ahead of two major international events and raising questions about who will handle day-to-day coordination for security, contracts, and vendor management as planning speeds up.
In a statement to Santa Clara News Online, City Manager Jovan Grogan described the split as "mutual and amicable" and stated that Baker "leaves the City in good standing." The outlet reported that city staff confirmed Baker will leave by year-end, a timeline that removes him before the Feb. 8, 2026 Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium and long before World Cup matches scheduled for June and July.
He handled stadium files and event agreements
Baker has been the primary staff lead on stadium-related operations and major-event agreements, serving as staff reviewer on the city's World Cup and Super Bowl documents, according to a staff report from the City of Santa Clara. That paperwork lays out the city's obligations for public-safety reimbursement, vendor coordination, and a compressed review schedule as the events approach. With those duties in play, the City Manager's office will need to move quickly to reassign responsibilities or name an interim lead.
Hiring background and earlier ethics questions
Baker was brought on in December 2023 with a reported base salary of $350,000, and the hire drew scrutiny over his outside nonprofit roles, according to Santa Clara News Online. That earlier reporting noted Baker's past role as board chair of 100 Black Men of the Bay Area and that the San Francisco 49ers were a major donor. John Pelissero of Santa Clara University's Markkula Center warned that those ties "may appear to some to be a conflict of interest."
Revenue deals and day-to-day coordination
Beyond contracts and legal filings, Baker has been active on revenue and marketing strategies tied to the events, including an advertising agreement with Outfront Media, and told San José Spotlight the plan would be "simple and high impact" with "no upfront cost." Those deals are part of the broader push to capture ad income, hotel tax revenue, and reimbursements for public-safety costs tied to the Super Bowl and World Cup.
What comes next at City Hall
City documents show the Council and the Santa Clara Stadium Authority will continue to consider agreements and budget items at public meetings, and one staff report flags a major update planned for March 11, 2026. The City Manager's office has not released a timetable for filling the assistant city manager position, so council members and staff must decide whether to appoint an interim or reassign duties in the short term. Neighbors and business leaders will be watching to see how the city maintains continuity in public-safety planning and community benefits tied to the events.
Legal and ethics angle
California rules bar public officials from influencing decisions that directly relate to a prospective employer while negotiating employment, and that standard has been cited in local coverage of stadium staffing. The state regulation on influencing prospective employment outlines when an official must recuse or disclose ties to nonprofit or private partners. Whether Baker's departure triggers any formal reviews will depend on the city's disclosures and any pending contract decisions during the transition.
For now, the City Manager's statement frames the separation as amicable while staffers work to keep event preparations on schedule. Officials say they will provide updates to the Council and public as personnel moves are formalized in the coming weeks.
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