The day after the Chargers Stadium Task Force announced a recommendation of no new taxes in construction plans for a new stadium, Charger fans in San Diego rallied the troops for a ‘Save Our Bolts Spirit Day,’ calling fans from die-hard to casual to don any apparel, whether official gear or just Chargers colors, in support of the team.
“We need your help to send a strong message to the Chargers and the NFL. It is simple. We want everyone in San Diego to wear their Chargers gear on the same day like a casual Friday. We are asking offices and schools all over the county to allow their employees to take part,” read a Save Our Bolts Twitter post.
A recent recommendation from the Chargers Stadium Task Force says no new taxes should be levied on San Diegans for the proposed new facility, but rather a mix of revenue streams. Any tax increase would require a two-thirds public vote to pass. 10 News reported on a presentation the group gave to the City Council’s Economic Development Committee. In that meeting, Adam Day described the revenue streams as a combination of investments, naming rights, personal seat licenses, parking, and concessions.
The group also suggested revenue come from a mixed-use facility adjacent the stadium, wrote Team 10. The cost of the stadium is expected to range somewhere between $700 million and $1.5 billion. The nine-member Chargers Stadium Task Force is expected to conduct further meetings with the Chargers and NFL representatives and present finalized plans to Mayor Kevin Faulconer by or on May 20.
Earlier this year, talks between the city and Chargers owners, the Spanos family, broke down, leading the team to more seriously consider a move to Los Angeles. It wasn’t long after that the Chargers were releasing plans, along with the St. Louis Rams, to undertake a joint stadium project in the Los Angeles area. The Chargers, according to Team 10, say some 25% of their business comes from the L.A. area.
Since then, Mayor Faulconer has fast-tracked a timeline for pulling together long-languished-over stadium plans that he made a priority in his State of the City address.
In the first days of March, fans packed a room at the current Chargers stadium, and crowds filled portions of the stadium’s outdoor seating during a public forum held by the stadium task force. Booming chants shook the seats resounding, “Save Our Bolts.”
Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana
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