Tuesday, March 11, 2008

You can't resist the RSS

Don't feel like checking for updates every day? San Diego Stadium Watch is accessible by RSS feed. Instant updates of what's going on at SDSW.

Keep your eyes out - a special three-part focus on budget and finance is coming at the end of the week.

Once again, a huge round of applause to all of you dedicated readers. Don't be afraid to e-mail or write a comment if you have a thought, idea or complaint.

Monday, March 10, 2008

A new offer to keep the Sonics in Seattle

I thought it would be nice to follow up on a previous story comparing the Seattle Sonics' stadium woes with San Diego.

Interesting news today - a local group lead by the CEO's of Microsoft and Costco is willing to team with the city of Seattle to renovate KeyArena and purchase the Sonics from Clay Bennett. The group will put up $150 million to upgrade KeyArena, but it is contingent on the group acquiring the team.

Local group looks to promote stadium plans

Grassroots group sees stadium as call to activism
By Brandon Stone
San Diego Stadium Watch

While politicians and executive deliberate over development details, ordinary citizens come together to present a case of their own.

A new grassroots organization named the Chula Vista Bay Front Stadium Action Group has formed to promote plans to build a new stadium. Through public rallies and online activism, the group wants to do everything it can to keep the Chargers in San Diego. The group is currently working on a rally to be held at the power plant later this month.

“We're full supporters of the bay front as the [place for a] stadium,” group leader Caryl Foster said. “We feel that it is in the best interests for it to be located [there].”

Foster has been interested in the Chargers’ search for many years, leading various groups and participating in virtual negotiations to help residents understand the issues.

“We feel the opportunity to keep our Chargers as the San Diego Chargers is coming down to the final episode,” Foster said. “We think that the Chargers have been consistent in making the effort to stay in San Diego.”

Grassroots groups are commonplace when stadium issues arise. In places like Seattle, fan involvement has been crucial to the process. Words from a friend or co-worker can catch fire in a community faster than the words of a politician or a business owner. This group is hoping that their strategy of spreading the news will work quick enough to retain the team they cheer on every Sunday.

“Our voice isn't being heard in the public, and we wanted to ensure that our voice is heard,” Foster said.

The goal of the new group is to keep Chula Vistans informed about what’s going on with the bay front while supporting the current and future plans for a new stadium. To do this, the group is forming various teams to take on each issue, including financing, environment, negativity, community project teams and an Internet team.

“We're hoping to put together a strategic management team where everybody brings to the table what they do best,” Foster said. “That includes having an understanding of the potential economic and fiscal impact, having an understanding of the environmental impact and being able to bring pressure [with] the public entities that want to keep the Chargers in San Diego.”

Foster is especially concerned with the response of environmental lobbyists.

“The environmentalists ... came out negative about having a stadium on the bay front without any real factual information about it,” Foster said. “They say [things] without having any environmental impact reports done.”

Politicians and groups will be a major part of the group’s focus. The group appreciates Chula Vista’s willingness to listen to the Chargers, but is still looking for other important organization to weigh in as well.

“I think the city of San Diego should be involved,” Foster said. “I think the Port District needs to let the public know what their feelings are. San Diego State and their alumni who support the Aztec football team should be engaged.”

The Internet has been a large part of the group’s formation. Most of the group came together via online message boards, and the group holds their meetings online as well. Due to this trend, the group has been able to attract members outside of San Diego County as well as far away from the West Coast.

“Technology allows us to be effective,” Foster said. “It allows us to organize quickly and maximize our efforts.”

For the immediate future, the group plans to expand their membership and get information flowing across the county. In Foster’s eyes, each step forward will lead to the goal his group works hard to obtain. When those are achieved, Foster sees a San Diego for the better.

“The sooner we come to positive happenings on the bay front, the sooner that those resources might be used for the benefit of San Diego,” Foster said.

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