Latest on the Chargers Stadium in San Diego

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – The first real movement in 13-years to get a Chargers Stadium occurred last week when the Mayor’s Citizen’s Stadium Task Force recommended Mission Valley as the site for a new stadium.

But the team favored a downtown site.

Now, the Chargers have teamed-up with the Raiders for a stadium in Carson.

Community leaders in Carson have put their plan on the fast track.

The Chargers point man on the stadium, Mark Fabiani, has an update on the signature drive to get the Carson stadium on the ballot.

“We’re completing our signature gathering process soon we hope, we’re gotten tremendous support and so they’re doing a little work on the signature gathering effort,” Fabiani said.

The key to getting a stadium deal in San Diego depends on the Chargers getting enough revenue from a new stadium to remain competitive with other teams in the league.

But the task force is talking about team revenue reductions.

“We’re looking for investment by the Chargers, the city, naming rights, PSL’s, parking, concessions and rent, the potential for some mixed use development will be part of that, and all these revenue streams will go into our analysis for our consideration,” said Adam Day, chairman of the Stadium Task Force.

The task force wants those revenues that teams don’t share with the league.

“What would be the point in having a new stadium if every bit of revenue was taken out of the stadium by the city and the team was left with nothing we’d be better off staying where we are or moving to a different city,” Fabiani said.

It’s about being competitive in the marketplace.

“This is the football business and so we’re in a league where 65 percent or so of our competitors stadiums have been paid for by the public,” Fabiani said. “If we can’t match that somehow here in San Diego, we’re better off just staying where we are.”

But staying where they are became less of an option when the Rams owner said he would move the team to Los Angeles.

That threatened the Chargers franchise in San Diego.

“Take the 25 percent of our local business that comes from up there and leave us here in San Diego without any options so that’s really what’s changed,” Fabiani said. “They’ve really forced the hand of the other owners, they forced the hand of the league, and they certainly forced the chargers hand.”

League officials will come before the task force in mid-April and that could be a harsh reality test.

While relocations are disruptive, new stadiums advance the league’s objectives.

“I think the league officials will be pretty candid with the task force that they expect to see a real proposal, something that could actually work,” Fabiani added. 

2015 has certainly brought forward movement on the stadium issue, but don’t be surprised if it’s still a topic for conversation in 2016.