Chargers Biggest Day Of The Season Isn’t At The Stadium!

No Comments August 30, 2016 Chargers By John Stellman

So according to their schedule, the San Diego Chargers open the 2016 National Football League Season on September 11 at Kansas City.

Seven days later they play what could be their final home opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That decision won’t be made until November 8.

Day Of Decision?

It’s Election Day.

The Citizens Initiative proposition on “America’s Finest City” ballots might carry as much weight as the presidential decision.

It is on this day that the Chargers future, will once and for all, be determined.

They nearly left after last season.

Carson A No Vote

The Chargers were hoping to split the cost of a new facility with the Oakland Raiders. The multi-billion venture in Carson would have been shared by the two teams.

Unfortunately, NFL owners blew that plan up in Houston last spring.

Instead, the owners allowed Stan Kroenke to construct a super stadium conglomerate in Inglewood. It will include a shopping center, hotels, restaurants and residents on the old Hollywood Park grounds adjacent to The Forum.

Not to be overlooked will be the construction of television studios for the national networks and a brand new west coast home for the National Football League.

Join Stan The Man

But first the Raiders and then the Chargers were given the option of joining Kroenke in Inglewood.

Oakland must decide by next January.

The Raiders are currently in negotiations with Las Vegas to move to the gambling mecca of America.

Despite the location, the positives outweigh the negatives and the NFL appears ready to give owner Mark Davis their blessings.

Stamp Of Approval

The process is gaining steam and all parties are optimistic that an agreement can be reached soon.

The list of a dozen or so sites has been whittled down to two.

Oakland officials and the Raiders rarely speak to each other which indicates the city may have given up on its efforts to keep the Raiders.

Davis knows he needs to leave the East Bay.

LA Raiders?

Raider Nation is still strong as ever in Los Angeles. But the opportunity to explore virgin territory is extremely enticing.

If the marriage is consummated, that would open the Inglewood door to the Chargers. And they would have until January, 2018 to make their decision.

That decision will in all likely hood be made in November.

Citizens Initiative

The Chargers website explains the initiative thusly:

“The Citizens’ Initiative, if approved by the voters, would allow the creation of a joint use stadium-convention center facility in downtown San Diego.

The Citizens’ Initiative would also provide for increases in the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) – the hotel tax paid by visitors to San Diego – to help pay for the joint use facility.”

Two conditions must be met for the project to move forward.

The Chargers, according to the Citizens Initiative are required to contribute $650M and agree to a 30-year lease.

Approval Uncertain

If the initiative is approved, which is not exactly a “gimme”, the hotel tax will be raised to 16.5 percent.

Included in the plan is a new city tourism marketing program.

No city or country general fund money will be used to pay for the proposal.

The biggest roadblock however, will be a California Court Of Appeals decision on what constitutes an affirmative vote.

What’s A Majority?

The decision in question is whether the supporters need a simple majority or a 2/3 majority to put the initiative into play.

The city attorney as well as lawyers across the state are currently evaluating the case.

Citizens Skeptical

In view of recent past history regarding citizens approving stadium projects, it is likely that anything more than a simple majority would be difficult.

The team and the city have been at odds over the past several years and that’s not an encouraging sign for the citizenry.

Locals have soured on the Chargers.

So could this be San Diego’s sayonara season?

About
Latest Posts

John Stellman

I was born with sports in my blood. I began coaching little league baseball at 15. I was the sports editor of my high school newspaper. I did football play by play for the college radio station. I broadcast high school basketball for a local commercial station. But baseball was always my passion. During the 1970's I covered the Angels for the Orange County Register. And now I am back where I belong...