Chargers getting caught up in mayoral race

The Chargers are letting the public know they favor no candidate in the San Diego mayoral race between incumbent Jerry Sanders and Steve Francis in the wake of a controversial phone banking comment.

According to the Chargers, Sanders' campaign has told voters through the telecommuncations group that Francis has attempted to Republican special interest groups. Chargers owner Alex Spanos is included in that list. Fabiani called these actions "dishonest and hypocritical."

Chargers special counsel Mark Fabiani sent a letter to the Sanders campaign, asking them to desist with the calls that are "deliberately designed to leave voters with the false impression that ... the Chargers support your challenger, Steve Francis."

Francis' campaign is mainly self-funded.

According to Fabiani, Sanders approached the Chargers in late April asking for donations, to which the Chargers declined, claiming they were not supporting any candidates in the race.
Spanos has given millions to Republicans over the last few decades. Since 1980, he has given more than $6.7 million to Republican or special interest groups, including $20,000 to the California Republican party in 2007.

Power lines on bay front to be removed

Big South Bay Power Plant news this morning. San Diego Gas and Electric said they would take down power lines along the bay front by the end of 2009. These power lines run from J Street to the Sweetwater River.

Removing these lines is a big step for those who want the area redeveloped for both the Gaylord hotel and a new stadium.

More on this story to come as it develops.

Architects look to renovate Qualcomm

Interesting news from the Union-Tribune today. A group of architects wants to renovate Qualcomm Stadium, regardless of whether the Chargers play there in the future or not.

According to one of the group's members, Jack Carpenter - a fitting name, I must add - the stadium isn't as bad as it has been made out to be, and with some fixing up the stadium will be great for San Diego State football and soccer matches.

Their wish is put a presentation in front of Qualcomm Stadium Advisory Board. A member of that group said that they would listen to what the architects had to say.

Release from FTB Alliance cheers Chula Vista, jeers San Diego city

The Fans, Taxpayers and Business Alliance, a community coalition put together to place a stadium in San Diego County, put out this message earlier. In it, they praise the Chula Vista City Council for their service and denounce the city of San Diego's handling of stadium issues.

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HATS OFF TO MAYOR COX AND THE ENTIRE CHULA VISTA CITY COUNCIL

The nationwide Neilson ratings released on Monday shows this year’s Super Bowl as the second most watched program ever in the history of United States television. But, a little known fact is that the Chargers AFC Championship game against the Patriots garnered a larger local rating than the Super Bowl did.

























The conversation has never been about keeping the Chargers here at all costs, it has always been about working through the issues to see if it is possible to do so in a financially responsible way. Absent any meaningful conversation with the City of San Diego, Chula Vista has stood tall in saying they would at least study the issue.

Yet the City of San Diego, who stands to gain the most by finding a reasonable solution, is defiantly silent in how they might assist Chula Vista in retaining the team in the region. No time, no money, obviously no interest, not even in how to stint the ongoing cash drain as the City continues to pay about $19 million per year to maintain Qualcomm Stadium. (San Diego Union-Tribune, October 9, 2005)

Not one elected official in the City of San Diego has taken a public position on how to assist in solving the issue.

In music, that is called tone-deaf.

No matter what side of the issue you are on, it is important to let the local political leadership know what you think. Be sure to log onto www.ftballiance.org to contact your elected officials or send a letter to the Union-Tribune, Voice of San Diego or Chula Vista Star-News.

Another bid on Marine Terminal

The Union-Tribune reported today that the private group San Diego Community Solutions will begin gathering signatures for a proposal to place a deck on part of the 10th Avenue Marine Terminal. This deck would be able to hold a new stadium, hotel or park. The proposal would have to be passed on the November ballot by voters in the cities that make up the Port Commission – San Diego, Chula Vista, National City, Imperial Beach and Coronado.

The deck’s purpose is for parking, but any type of building could be placed on top, according to SDCS spokesman Scott Maloni.

While the plan exudes creativity mixed with difficulty, this is not the first time a developer has brought new ideas to the table in locations deemed dead for discussion. In September 2007, a gigantic proposal by CB Richard Ellis Capital Markets Debt and Equity Finance called for a $2.2 billion residential and commercial redevelopment plan on the Qualcomm Stadium site, a place that the Chargers and the City of San Diego could not come to terms with. The similarity here is that ingenuity and money will swirl, and the Chargers and Aztecs are the beneficiaries of a larger plan for San Diego County’s future development.

I hope to talk to the SDCS in the near future to ask more about their plans to get out the message about the deck, including potential cost for the cities involved with the Port Commission.