San Diego Deems NFL Stadium Meeting A Success

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LOS ANGELES — San Diego city and county leaders said they remain optimistic about the city's chances of retaining its National Football League team following a meeting with league officials on Tuesday.

After talks broke off with the Chargers on June 16, city and county leaders decided to take their case directly to the NFL.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, County Supervisor Ron Roberts, City Attorney Jan Goldsmith and California Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, gave league officials an update on the city's progress on building a stadium for the Chargers.

League officials encouraged the city to continue moving forward, Faulconer said in a prepared statement.

San Diego would have to get voters to approve lease-revenue bonds backed by general fund money to support recommendations for a $1.1 billion plan to renovate the Chargers' current home, Qualcomm Stadium.

The city has already begun environmental planning work, put a negotiating team in place to work on financing and demonstrated that a public vote can be held by January within the NFL timeframe if the Chargers resume negotiations, according to the mayor's office.

The Chargers would need to agree to a financial term sheet with the City and County in the next several weeks to hold a public vote in January, which the team has declined to do.

City and county leaders agreed to work collaboratively and share consultant costs in April and hired investment banker Citigroup and law firm Nixon Peabody to assist with developing possible financing options and related development for a stadium.

In June, Mark Fabiani, the attorney who represents the Chargers, cast doubt on the city's ability to fund a new stadium adding that the team was set on a move to Carson, south of Los Angeles. Earlier this year, the Chargers and Oakland Raiders announced plans to build their own stadium in Carson.

Speaker Atkins said if an agreement is reached with the Chargers she is committed to making sure San Diego can benefit from state legislation that is consistent with what other cities have received for their sports facilities.

A proposal for a Los Angeles team in the City of Industry, and AEG's abandoned proposal for a stadium at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles, both benefited from state legislation that ensured a shortened environmental review process.

City leaders contend a fast-track EIR is possible, because the proposal is for reconstruction of the existing football stadium on its current Mission Valley site. City and county leaders hope to release the EIR for public review by Aug. 10, the same day city and county leaders are scheduled to meet with an NFL owners' committee in Chicago, according to the mayor's office.

 

 

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