The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to enter into a contractual agreement with the City of San Diego to look for ways to keep the San Diego Chargers from moving out of town.
The Board voted 5-0 to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the city. The agreement would allow the County and City to share lawyer fees and the cost of hiring experts for advice on stadium financing options as well as related development, improvement and financial issues. Board members said they were interested only in options that would be a good deal for taxpayers.
The Board of Supervisors’ vote to approve the MOU Tuesday would also set aside $250,000 for one-time legal expenses.
The Chargers have played at Qualcomm Stadium for years, but the football team’s ownership says it wants a new stadium and has openly discussed moving away, perhaps to Los Angeles.
County supervisors said Tuesday that the Chargers were important to the region and welcomed the chance to be part of discussions to look for options that could keep the team in San Diego. City of San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has created a Citizens’ Stadium Advisory Group made up of local civic and business leaders to review the existing Qualcomm Stadium site and other locations that could possibly be home to a new stadium.
County officials said that if the Chargers left, their absence could also hurt other major events held at Qualcomm Stadium that provide economic benefits to the region, such as San Diego State University Aztec football games and the annual Poinsettia Bowl and Holiday Bowl.
