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Chargers Fans Make Voices Heard At San Diego Stadium Task Force's Public Forum

An estimated 400 people last night attended a forum hosted by San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer's stadium task force, as Chargers fans offered "everything from constructive advice to outside-the-box ideas to desperate pleas to find a solution," according to David Garrick of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. The forum, the "only public event the task force plans to hold, featured a large majority of speakers expressing support for building a new stadium in Mission Valley instead of downtown." Many said that it "was crucial to include the whole county -- not just the city of San Diego -- in whatever financing plan the task force ultimately recommends." Critics said that the nearly three-hour forum "would be nothing more than frustrated fans blowing off steam." Garrick writes this "was mostly the case, with an estimated 400 fans rallying outside in the Qualcomm Stadium parking lot and roughly 1,700 watching the forum on the stadium Jumbotron in an overflow area." Many speakers "praised County Supervisor Ron Roberts for proposing last week that the county help fund the stadium with a bridge loan that would potentially be paid back with revenue from surrounding residential or commercial development" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/3). ESPN.com's Eric Williams noted chants of "Chargers" and "Save our Bolts" "echoed outside in the parking lot during a rally before the meeting." Those cheers "continued inside, with the advisory group receiving a standing ovation as they entered." Former NFLer Nick Hardwick "showed up to lend support." He said of the team's chances of staying in the city, "I do believe it gets done. I believe (the Chargers) are very strategically attacking this, and they've taken a really solid approach, and they are applying pressure at the right time, and it's going to get done" (ESPN.com, 3/2).

MOVING FUND: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Daniel Kaplan cites sources as saying that Goldman Sachs "will finance" the Chargers’ prospective move to L.A., "including covering any operating losses suffered by the team in the first few years in that city as well as costs for any renovations needed in a temporary venue." The Chargers and Raiders last week announced plans for a $1.7B stadium in Carson, Calif. Goldman Sachs’ commitment "goes beyond simply financing the proposed new stadium." Sources said that the Chargers "expect to play several seasons in either the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum or the Rose Bowl Stadium before that new stadium would be open, and the team expects that it might be called on to make any renovations required before playing at one of those venues." The Raiders "have yet to choose a financial company with which to work" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/2 issue).

OLD COLLEGE TRY: In San Diego, Tod Leonard noted San Diego State Univ. and the city's two college bowl games "aren't disappearing from Qualcomm Stadium anytime soon" despite the uncertainty surrounding the Chargers. SDSU "has a lease with the city for use of Qualcomm for four more seasons," through '18. SDSU AD Jim Sterk said that the school "has viable alternatives if it could no longer use Qualcomm, but he declined to provide details." The Holiday and Poinsettia bowls "are about to finalize a new three-year lease" through '17. The school and bowl games "are in a position of wait-and-see as the Chargers’ process moves forward" (UTSANDIEGO.com, 3/2).

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