![]() After analyzing the Mission Valley site, which houses Qualcomm Stadium and covers 166 acres the City owns, and the Downtown site, which the City would have to piece together through several land purchases, the Citizens’ Stadium Advisory Group (CSAG) has selected the Mission Valley location. Each site has its pros and cons, but for several reasons (outlined below) the Mission Valley location is the best choice for the creation of a multi-use stadium and a fair and workable financing plan, which the committee expects to present to Mayor Kevin Faulconer by the end of May. The Mayor assembled the Advisory Group six weeks ago and asked the group to resolve two issues: Select either the Mission Valley site or the Downtown site, and develop a financing plan for public consideration. Recent events in Los Angeles, including the Chargers plans to build a joint stadium with the Oakland Raiders in Carson, mean any plan to keep the Chargers in San Diego needs to be developed expeditiously.
The CSAG reviewed numerous plans associated with both sites with a fresh and independent perspective. It also met with numerous individuals and groups during its site-selection process, including representatives of the San Diego Chargers, San Diego State University, the County of San Diego, Convention Center, hotels, the San Diego River Park Foundation, college bowl games, developers, labor groups, architects, Chargers alumni, and fans. The Mission Valley site was selected because it’s the best location for a multi-use stadium for all of San Diego. The facility would anchor a new community and host the Chargers, the Aztecs, college bowl games, high school playoffs, concerts, monster truck jams, and other events. It’s also important to note that when the CSAG met with the Chargers in February, the Chargers said they did not prefer one site over the other. The team described its position as agnostic. While the team has recently promoted a joint-use stadium and expanded Convention Center at the Downtown site, the Chargers campaigned for the Mission Valley site for several years. “Redeveloping the Qualcomm site makes a lot of sense,” the Chargers wrote in 2003. “The site can be transformed from an empty parking lot into a unique and vibrant new community the rivals the best in the world.” The team added: “One hundred acres of asphalt surrounds Qualcomm stadium. For 350 days a year, this parking lot remains largely unused. The Chargers’ concept turns it into a vibrant village with parks, condominiums and shops. Putting homes on transportation corridors is a top priority for this region. The Chargers’ concept embraces that notion and envisions affordable and market rate homes with an easy walk to the trolley station, which, by the way, is built specifically to handle the large crowds generated by a stadium.” In 2006, the team shifted its focus to other sites due to a lack of support at City Hall, an obstacle that no longer exists. CSAG’s decision to select the Mission Valley site was unanimous and based on the following 8 reasons:
Presented by: Adam Day, Jason Hughes, Jim Steeg, Mary Lydon, Jessie Knight, Aimee Faucett, Douglas Barnhart, Rod Dammeyer, and Walt Ekard. Contact: Tony Manolatos
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