The Citizens’ Stadium Advisory Group (CSAG) released its “Site Selection and Financing Plan for New Multi-Use Stadium in San Diego” on Monday, May 18. CSAG concluded a new multi-use stadium in Mission Valley is the most viable option, and would cost approximately $1.1 billion, excluding land. To pay for the facility, CSAG outlined more than $1.4 billion in revenue streams without increasing taxes.
“Despite so many dramatic changes and potential distractions, both here and elsewhere over the last four months, our community rallied and kept moving forward,” said Mayor Kevin Faulconer. “San Diego now has a framework to build a new stadium that’s tangible, that’s achievable and that won’t raise taxes.” To pay for the proposed stadium, parking, stadium-related infrastructure and operations and maintenance, CSAG’s financing plan includes 60 acres of land from the City of San Diego valued at $180 million, and more than a dozen funding sources that exceed $1.4 billion, including:
$300 million from the Chargers $173 million in bondable construction capital from the team’s rent. $200 million from the NFL. $121 million from the County of San Diego. $121 million from the City of San Diego. $225 million from the sale of 75 acres of land. More than $100 million from fans, who would contribute through the purchase of personal seat licenses (PSLs), and ticket and parking surcharges. “CSAG’s plan is the first chance the community has had to solve a problem that has existed since I first arrived in 2001. I hope the city, county and the Chargers use this plan as a basis to retain the team in the community it belongs,” said former Charger LaDainian Tomlinson.
Included in CSAG’s plan is a $950 million proposed stadium designed by MEIS, a New York-based stadium design firm, that would take advantage of San Diego’s sunny and mild year-round climate.
Stadium design veteran Dan Meis is the founder and managing principal at MEIS. He was the lead designer for the Staples Center in Los Angeles and two existing NFL stadiums – Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati and Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. MEIS currently is working on renovations at Paul Brown Stadium and designing a new 60,000-seat soccer stadium in Rome, Italy called Stadio Della Roma that includes a mixed-use entertainment village similar to LA Live at Staples Center.
“Unlike major league baseball that has been so successful in developing stadiums that are well integrated and evocative of their locations – Camden Yards in Baltimore, AT&T Park in San Francisco – NFL stadiums have been, for the most part, fairly generic architecturally,” Meis said. “We believe the design we created for the proposed stadium in San Diego will alter that trend by presenting a venue that truly embodies the city’s landscape and spirit.”
In addition to the stadium, CSAG’s research led it to estimate that parking and stadium-related infrastructure would cost $204 million. The state-of-the-art venue would be home to the Chargers, San Diego State Aztecs, the Holiday and Poinsettia Bowls, and numerous other events – from corporate events to rodeos – that would help pay for operations and maintenance.
CSAG released its financing plan at a news conference at the San Diego County Operations Center/Campus Center Chambers. As for the site selection, CSAG’s report says without Mission Valley a clear path to a stadium would not exist in San Diego. “Given the accelerated timeline the NFL and the Chargers established, the Mission Valley site emerged as the only option that leads to a ribbon cutting ceremony at a new stadium before the end of the decade,” CSAG’s report says.
The city and the City’s Water Department own the land, valued at $180 million, and the 166-acre site has tremendous potential. CSAG also examined a downtown location, which proved to be unworkable for a variety of reasons outlined in the report.
“From the beginning of this process you could tell this time was different, and CSAG’s plan confirms that,” said Rafael Alvarez, who heads Bolt Pride and helps lead Save Our Bolts, which represent more than 20,000 Chargers’ fans. Now it’s time for the Chargers, the city and the county to finish what CSAG started. The Chargers belong in San Diego.”