New Chargers Stadium
Encyclopedia
The New Chargers Stadium is the working name of a proposed NFL football stadium that would house the San Diego Chargers
football team, replacing Qualcomm Stadium
as the franchise's home venue.
During the 2003 NFL season and even beforehand, there has been much talk of the Chargers replacing the increasingly obsolete (by NFL standards) Qualcomm Stadium
with a more modern, Super Bowl caliber football stadium, mainly due to obsolete features of the stadium as well as severe maintenance issues with the facility.
The team and city have both attempted to bring business partners in on a proposed $800 Million project, which was supposed to be located in the parking lot of the current stadium and include upgrades to the area and infrastructure, but all efforts have failed.
Currently, after failed attempts by the Chargers and the city of San Diego to come to an agreement on the new stadium, mainly due to the city’s inability to fund a stadium, the Chargers organization is looking at other places in San Diego County, notably Chula Vista, California
, Oceanside, California
, and Escondido, California
and most recently Downtown San Diego.
Based on the site chosen, the Chargers will largely rely on mass transit to take fans to and from the stadium on game days since it is unlikely that any of the proposed sites would provide enough land for a stadium, real estate development and surface-level parking lots. The golf course site in Oceanside, for example, is approximately 71 acres (see below), less than half the size of the Qualcomm site (166 acre (0.67177876 km²)) that was initially proposed by the Chargers.
Plus the necessary widening of I-5 will not begin until at least 2020 according to Caltrans.
. The Center City Golf Course, also known as "Goat Hill", is currently under consideration as a possible stadium location. The golf course site is northeast of the Interstate 5
/Oceanside Boulevard interchange. The city owns an adjoining 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) to the north of the golf course, which would provide a development footprint of more than 75 acres (303,514.5 m²). The site also offers easy access to two major freeways as well as two passenger rail lines.
Oceanside also has an advantage considering that 8,800 of the team's season ticket holders already come from North County, 8,500 are from Orange and Riverside counties, and 4,500 come from outside the state. A stadium built at this site can attract more fans from Orange County, Riverside County, and Los Angeles.
There are problems with the site if a stadium is to be built there. The golf course is zoned parkland, and voters would have to approve a zoning change for a stadium to be built. Also some believe that the stadium, if built, can cause traffic and environmental issues to the area, especially during game days. However the Chargers are currently working with traffic, environmental and land-use consultants to determine whether the golf course site is viable. The Chargers have already acknowledged that the golf course site may not be large enough to sustain a development profitable enough to offset the cost of stadium construction. In that case, they would seek to obtain additional real estate in Oceanside or elsewhere in San Diego County to further develop.
officials are discussing multiple sites where the Chargers can build a stadium. Two privately owned sites on the city's east side and two near the waterfront.
Possible Name Change
The mayor of Chula Vista has suggested that a stadium deal could involve the team being re-branded as the "Chula Vista Chargers". The team's spokesman did not completely reject the notion, but indicated that such a condition would only be considered if the stadium was entirely publicly-financed.
site is west of Interstate 5
and south of Bay Marina Drive, located east of the 24th Street Marine Terminal. The Port of San Diego has studied the dimensions of the site and come to the conclusion that a stadium could be built on the 52 acres (210,436.7 m²) site without disturbing the Port's mission to promote maritime jobs and commerce. Any potential development proposal would require the Port's approval.
Planning discussions are being discussed among the Port, National City and waterfront businesses to reconfigure the layout of the site to make it more efficient with or without a stadium. National City officials believe the benefit of a new stadium would spur new developments around it, generating tax dollars while also boosting the city's profile.
On May 12, 2007, National City dropped its new stadium proposal, citing problems with land ownership.
in the East Village Area of Downtown San Diego. Although this site has been seen as most the most viable option, few if any steps have taken place. Coupled with the NFL Labor situation, lack of funds through the NFL G3 Program and California Gov. Jerry Brown's proposals for the review of redevelopment funds in the state the Downtown Proposal is in limbo.
. Edward P. Roski
, a part-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers
and Los Angeles Kings
, has announced plans for a new stadium, tentatively titled Los Angeles Stadium
, on the northern side of the interchange of State Routes 57
and 60
(almost 22 miles (35.4 km) east of downtown LA) with the purpose of attracting a team to the Los Angeles region. Roski, who built the Staples Center
, stated that the new 75,000 seat stadium would be privately financed and would be the centerpiece of a new entertainment complex in City of Industry
. There is also a plan by AEG to move the Chargers to the proposed Farmers Field
in downtown Los Angeles next to the Staples Center
and the Los Angeles Convention Center
. This plan is endorsed by such celebrities as Magic Johnson
.
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
football team, replacing Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
as the franchise's home venue.
During the 2003 NFL season and even beforehand, there has been much talk of the Chargers replacing the increasingly obsolete (by NFL standards) Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
with a more modern, Super Bowl caliber football stadium, mainly due to obsolete features of the stadium as well as severe maintenance issues with the facility.
The team and city have both attempted to bring business partners in on a proposed $800 Million project, which was supposed to be located in the parking lot of the current stadium and include upgrades to the area and infrastructure, but all efforts have failed.
Currently, after failed attempts by the Chargers and the city of San Diego to come to an agreement on the new stadium, mainly due to the city’s inability to fund a stadium, the Chargers organization is looking at other places in San Diego County, notably Chula Vista, California
Chula Vista, California
Chula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S....
, Oceanside, California
Oceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
, and Escondido, California
Escondido, California
Escondido is a city occupying a shallow valley ringed by rocky hills, just north of the city of San Diego, California. Founded in 1888, it is one of the oldest cities in San Diego County. The city had a population of 143,911 at the 2010 census. Its municipal government set itself an operating...
and most recently Downtown San Diego.
The San Diego Stadium Coalition
The San Diego Stadium Coalition is a grassroots community organization formed in January 2009 with the singular objective of facilitating the development of a new stadium in San Diego County. Citing the economic benefits of constructing a new stadium and a desire to keep the San Diego Chargers in the region, they continue to work with taxpayers groups, developers, politicians and the Chargers to move the stadium effort forward. By leveraging social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter along with traditional media outlets and interactive public forums, they have amassed a sizeable following in a brief amount of time. Their website http://www.sdstadium.org serves as the hub for their effort.Planning
The cost of stadium construction would be financed by the Chargers, who would pay for construction with the profits of an adjoining development. The team would require a large tract of land either for free or at nominal cost to make the project economically feasible. Based on the site that is selected, the adjoining development would be a combination of commercial, residential and retail uses.Based on the site chosen, the Chargers will largely rely on mass transit to take fans to and from the stadium on game days since it is unlikely that any of the proposed sites would provide enough land for a stadium, real estate development and surface-level parking lots. The golf course site in Oceanside, for example, is approximately 71 acres (see below), less than half the size of the Qualcomm site (166 acre (0.67177876 km²)) that was initially proposed by the Chargers.
Plus the necessary widening of I-5 will not begin until at least 2020 according to Caltrans.
Oceanside
The Oceanside City Council recently agreed to have talks with the Chargers about building a stadium in OceansideOceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
. The Center City Golf Course, also known as "Goat Hill", is currently under consideration as a possible stadium location. The golf course site is northeast of the Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
/Oceanside Boulevard interchange. The city owns an adjoining 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) to the north of the golf course, which would provide a development footprint of more than 75 acres (303,514.5 m²). The site also offers easy access to two major freeways as well as two passenger rail lines.
Oceanside also has an advantage considering that 8,800 of the team's season ticket holders already come from North County, 8,500 are from Orange and Riverside counties, and 4,500 come from outside the state. A stadium built at this site can attract more fans from Orange County, Riverside County, and Los Angeles.
There are problems with the site if a stadium is to be built there. The golf course is zoned parkland, and voters would have to approve a zoning change for a stadium to be built. Also some believe that the stadium, if built, can cause traffic and environmental issues to the area, especially during game days. However the Chargers are currently working with traffic, environmental and land-use consultants to determine whether the golf course site is viable. The Chargers have already acknowledged that the golf course site may not be large enough to sustain a development profitable enough to offset the cost of stadium construction. In that case, they would seek to obtain additional real estate in Oceanside or elsewhere in San Diego County to further develop.
Chula Vista
Chula VistaChula Vista, California
Chula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S....
officials are discussing multiple sites where the Chargers can build a stadium. Two privately owned sites on the city's east side and two near the waterfront.
- One Chula Vista site is located near State Route 125California State Route 125State Route 125 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that currently runs from State Route 905 in Otay Mesa near the U.S.–Mexico border to State Route 52 in Santee....
, southwest of the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center. The site has the land that a stadium would require, as well as transportation options for reaching such a venue. However there are concerns about the site’s distance from main transit lines. - One site rests on Chula Vista’s bayfront which is currently occupied by the South Bay Power Plant.
- Another site rests in a vacant B.F. Goodrich site adjacent to the property that's already been designated for the Chula Vista BayfrontChula Vista BayfrontThe Chula Vista Bayfront is a master planned waterfront development on San Diego Bay within Chula Vista, California, United States. The bayfront is undergoing major development under the project title Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan, one of the largest waterfront planning efforts in the United...
, a $750 million convention center and hotel complex. The project is set to break ground next year. - Another Chula Vista option falls on private property, owned by residential homebuilder, HomeFed Corp, which owns 3,000 acres (12 km²) in the Otay Ranch area, has conducted talks with the Chargers.
- A new site became questionably available after expected developments on Chula VistaChula Vista, CaliforniaChula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S....
's bayside were disbanded by Gaylord Entertainment.
Possible Name Change
The mayor of Chula Vista has suggested that a stadium deal could involve the team being re-branded as the "Chula Vista Chargers". The team's spokesman did not completely reject the notion, but indicated that such a condition would only be considered if the stadium was entirely publicly-financed.
National City
The proposed National CityNational City, California
National City is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 58,582 at the 2010 census, up from 54,260 at the 2000 census. National City is the second oldest city in San Diego County and has a historic past.-History:...
site is west of Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
and south of Bay Marina Drive, located east of the 24th Street Marine Terminal. The Port of San Diego has studied the dimensions of the site and come to the conclusion that a stadium could be built on the 52 acres (210,436.7 m²) site without disturbing the Port's mission to promote maritime jobs and commerce. Any potential development proposal would require the Port's approval.
Planning discussions are being discussed among the Port, National City and waterfront businesses to reconfigure the layout of the site to make it more efficient with or without a stadium. National City officials believe the benefit of a new stadium would spur new developments around it, generating tax dollars while also boosting the city's profile.
On May 12, 2007, National City dropped its new stadium proposal, citing problems with land ownership.
Downtown San Diego
The Chargers have had numerous talks with the City of San Diego regarding a site south of Petco ParkPETCO Park
Petco Park is an open-air ballpark in downtown San Diego, California, USA. It opened in 2004, replacing Qualcomm Stadium as the home park of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres. Before then, the Padres shared Qualcomm Stadium with the NFL's San Diego Chargers...
in the East Village Area of Downtown San Diego. Although this site has been seen as most the most viable option, few if any steps have taken place. Coupled with the NFL Labor situation, lack of funds through the NFL G3 Program and California Gov. Jerry Brown's proposals for the review of redevelopment funds in the state the Downtown Proposal is in limbo.
Relocation
If the Chargers do not succeed in building a stadium in Greater San Diego, the team could be headed to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Edward P. Roski
Edward P. Roski
Edward P. Roski, Jr. is an American real estate businessman in Los Angeles, California.-Biography:Roski was born in Oklahoma and raised in Southern California. He is a graduate of Loyola High School and the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, where in 1962 he earned a...
, a part-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, has announced plans for a new stadium, tentatively titled Los Angeles Stadium
Los Angeles Stadium
Los Angeles Football Stadium is the working title for a proposed 75,000-seat football stadium, the centerpiece of a 600-acre entertainment district in Industry, California. Upon construction, the district will be named Grand Crossing, California. Edward P...
, on the northern side of the interchange of State Routes 57
California State Route 57
State Route 57 , also known as the Orange Freeway, is a north–south state highway in the Greater Los Angeles Area of the U.S. state of California. It connects the interchange of Interstate 5 and State Route 22 near downtown Orange, locally known as the Orange Crush, with the Glendora Curve...
and 60
California State Route 60
State Route 60 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It runs from Interstate 10 near the Los Angeles River in Los Angeles east to I-10 in Riverside County, with overlaps at State Route 57 and Interstate 215.-Route description:...
(almost 22 miles (35.4 km) east of downtown LA) with the purpose of attracting a team to the Los Angeles region. Roski, who built the Staples Center
Staples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
, stated that the new 75,000 seat stadium would be privately financed and would be the centerpiece of a new entertainment complex in City of Industry
Industry, California
Industry is an industrial suburb of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County. Home to over 2,500 businesses and 80,000 jobs, but only 219 residents at the 2010 census - down from 777 residents as of the 2000 United States census - the city is almost entirely industrial...
. There is also a plan by AEG to move the Chargers to the proposed Farmers Field
Farmers Field
Farmers Field is a baseball stadium on the campus of Lewisville High School, in Lewisville, Texas. Named after the schools mascot the "Fighting Farmers." It is located adjacent to the Lewisville High School football field and softball field. It is the home of the Lewisville Fighting Farmers...
in downtown Los Angeles next to the Staples Center
Staples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
and the Los Angeles Convention Center
Los Angeles Convention Center
The Los Angeles Convention Center is a convention center in the southwest portion of downtown Los Angeles. The LACC hosts annual events such as the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show and Anime Expo, and is best known to video games fans as host to E3...
. This plan is endorsed by such celebrities as Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
.