LOS ANGELE S— San Diego plans citywide special election on Dec. 15 to seek approval for a new stadium for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers, who have threatened to build a stadium with the Oakland Raiders in Carson, a city south of Los Angeles .
San Diego lawmakers have until Sept. 18 to approve ballot measures for a special election and send them to the registrar of voters.
"San Diegans deserve a vote on the stadium, and we can have a special election this year," said Mayor Kevin Faulconer. "We have all the ingredients for success in San Diego if the Chargers work with us."
The city and county are working together on a financial framework with "world-class experts to negotiate a fair stadium agreement," Faulconer said.
"We can get this done this year, if the Chargers want to get it done," he said.
The NFL has said it will allow teams to apply to relocate to Los Angeles in January 2016.
A public vote provides more certainty than authorizing the project through the City Council, because it removes the possibility of a costly and lengthy referendum challenge, according to the mayor's office.
The mayor's office also contends that a civic project of this size and involving public funds should be ratified by a majority vote. The special election would be conducted by mail ballot, which costs less than a special election.
In May, the Citizen's Advisory Group, formed by the mayor, released its recommendations for a $1.1 billion stadium project in Mission Valley and identified funding sources of $1.4 billion as a financing framework.
Faulconer, County Supervisor Ron Roberts and City Attorney Jan Goldsmith held their first negotiating session with Chargers owner Dean Spanos and his counsel Mark Fabiani on June 2.
"If both sides stay focused, we can get this done," Roberts said.
