The Chargers might not be rushing off to Los Angeles just yet, but they are not exactly thrilled to stay in San Diego either.
Chargers ownership is locked in a battle with the city of San Diego to secure public funds for a new stadium, a battle the city of San Diego is not ready to concede. Despite the public’s apparent unwillingness to help the Chargers pay for a new stadium, the franchise is still making a push for a proposal that would allocate $350 million in public funds towards its new stadium project.
The team’s latest initiative is a petition signature drive disguised as a Chargers pep rally, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Chargers chairman Dean Spanos will attend the event at 11 a.m. on the site of the proposed project. Specifically, the pep rally-type event will take place in the parking lot at 13th Street and K Street. There will be food and live music, plus Charger Girls along with the opportunity to register to vote and sign the initiative.
“It’s a kickoff,” said Fred Maas, the Chargers’ point man in the stadium campaign. “It’s the start of a very intense effort and to demonstrate our seriousness and hopefully showing the support from some of our fans.”
The Chargers are hoping this event will help the team’s petition reach approximately 67,000 signatures from registered voters living in the city of San Diego. At that mark, the initiative will qualify for the next ballot vote on Nov. 8.
However, it seems this event is not the only method the Chargers are employing to secure the necessary amount of support. Ownership has also put out a bounty of sorts for signatures. The team is willing to pay third parties up to $12 per signature collected in support of their proposal.
In trying to get 67,000 signatures in six weeks, the #Chargers will pay professional gatherers $12 per signature. That's big bucks.
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) April 19, 2016
If that figure seems high, that is because it is. One report has it at almost three times the normal rate, and the price only stands to increase as the deadline nears.
@ebruvold At least twice (maybe 3x) the going rate in normal situations. And they could have to go higher the later it gets.
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) April 19, 2016
The initiative in question proposes a transient occupancy tax hike of 4 percent, which is paid for by patrons staying at San Diego hotels. That would, in theory, cover the public’s $350 million contribution to the $1 billion cost of the new stadium. The total project cost also includes a nearby convention center. ESPN provided a breakdown of who is responsible for the total costs of that project.
The revenue collected by the city would go to pay the debt service on $1.15 billion in bonds issued to help pay for land acquisition and construction of an expanded convention center for the new stadium project, projected to cost $800 million, along with a third of the cost for a new $1 billion stadium, projected at $350 million.
The Chargers and the NFL would contribute $650 million. The NFL would be responsible for $300 million, including $200 million from the G4 stadium loan program and a $100 million gift negotiated as part of the Rams moving back to Los Angeles. The Chargers would contribute $350 million.
The Chargers need these signatures by June 8 in order to meet the city’s deadline on ballot measures. The official minimum amount of signees is 66,447, but the team has set its goal at 100,000 to create a buffer to get the signatures certified.
