The $18M allocation of the Jack Murphy Stadium
expansion project was "scrapped" yesterday by San Diego City
Council members who "hope to come up with a better deal to
offer voters in the spring," according to Ray Huard in the
SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Council members say they want to
protect the city's ability to host the '98 Super Bowl, which
the NFL has said would be "endangered" if the entire $78M
project was put to public vote. The city hopes to persuade
the Chargers to renegotiate the $60M renovation plan (SAN
DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/29). But Chargers President Dean
Spanos called the $18M "essential to the deal." Spanos:
"We've based all the economics, all the rent, all the
percentage of parking and concessions on a $78 million
project, not a $60 million project. ... We will not accept
that." Mayor Susan Golding is looking for a new deal by the
February 10 council session (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/29).
A CHARGERS ROAD SHOW? Kernan & Millican write if the
Chargers are forced to play '97 home games elsewhere, it
could be considered a breach of contract with the city of
San Diego, and that could "open the possibility of the team
leaving town permanently." The NFL has already contacted
officials at three sites about hosting the Chargers during
'97. Spanos would not name the sites, but said two were in
the L.A. area, and one was out of state. Sources say one
site is the Rose Bowl. Rose Bowl officials have also talked
to the NFL about hosting the Super Bowl if San Diego loses
the event (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/29).
