San Diego consultants said that as an "alternative to the recently unveiled SoccerCity plan in Mission Valley, developer Doug Manchester is working on a proposal to remodel Qualcomm Stadium for professional soccer, football and San Diego State athletics," according to a front-page piece by Roger Showley of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. The proposal also includes plans to build an NBA arena and "provide for lower density-housing and commercial development with less traffic from the city's 166-acre property." Manchester "previously sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell saying he wanted to build a 70,000-seat football stadium, but now has endorsed retaining 50-year-old Qualcomm instead." The Manchester plan would spend about $500M to "upgrade the city-owned venue with new utilities, structural improvements and interior flourishes, such as upgraded premium suites." Qualcomm would be "designed to hold 60,000 to 70,000 seats" for NFL, MLS, college bowl games and SDSU football. The Manchester proposal also includes "studying the feasibility of building a new arena that would replace the 51-year-old Valley View Casino Center on Sports Arena Boulevard." FS Investors, the group behind the SoccerCity plan, "plans to launch a ballot initiative drive March 15 to gather signatures of registered voters to place the item on the ballot." But the group "will ask the City Council to approve the plan instead of placing it on a future ballot as a way to meet" MLS deadlines for awarding new franchises later this year. FS Investors Principal Nick Stone said that Manchester's plan "will not meet" MLS' key requirement for "soccer-specific stadiums" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 2/23).
