Up next for 49ers stadium app maker VenueNext? More venues

A mobile app company that started as a tech project by the San Francisco 49ers has landed $9 million in financing to help it expand to about 30 more entertainment and hospitality venues this year. “We’re going beyond sports, whether that’s a hotel or a theme park or a music venue,” said VenueNext CEO John Paul. VenueNext spun out of a 49ers-backed project to create an all-purpose Levi’s Stadium mobile app platform in time for the inaugural 2014 season at the team’s $1.2 billion facility in Santa Clara. Though traffic headaches plagued the new stadium through the first season, the official Levi’s Stadium App — which allowed fans to store a digital version of their tickets to scan at the gate — appears to be something of a success. Fans could also use the app to buy parking spots and order food, drinks and merchandise for delivery to their seats. [...] he said order delivery fell far behind during a Feb. 21 outdoor hockey game at the stadium between the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings because the company didn’t have enough delivery runners. According to bloggers who follow the theme park, the app was available for orders in two spots inside the resort’s Hollywood Studios theme park — the Backlot Express and during the Fantasmic show.