As supporters of a new NFL stadium "filed a ballot initiative" in Carson, Calif., "to clear the way for the project, more details emerged about the proposal that could bring two NFL teams" to the L.A. area, according to Fenno & Logan of the L.A. TIMES. The Chargers are "locked in to buying the Carson site with the deal scheduled to close at the end of this month." Chargers Special Counsel Mark Fabiani said of the purchase agreement, "There are no contingencies, there is no option. We have to buy it. [Starwood Capital Group] has to sell it." Fenno & Logan note signature-gathering is "expected to start next week in Carson for the ballot initiative that would change zoning to move forward with a 70,000-seat stadium." The team-financed campaign "hopes to collect more than 12,000 signatures by mid-April." After 8,041 signatures are certified, the ballot measure "will go to Carson's City Council." Its members "could approve the plan themselves or schedule a public vote, likely this summer." The initiative, which "took project backers about two months to assemble, would create a public authority in Carson to own the stadium and lease it back" to the Chargers and Raiders (L.A. TIMES, 3/5). In California, Scott Reid cites petition documents as stating that the Chargers and Raiders "would be required to sign a 20-year lease" before the city of Carson "would grant final approval of plans" for a stadium. Carson Mayor Jim Dear estimated that the stadium "would generate" $3-4M annually in tax revenue for the city, with the entire development "generating as much" as $6M. Dear said that Chargers and Raiders officials "have not told him what their annual stadium projections are for the teams." Fabiani said that project backers "would release an economic analysis in the coming days" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 3/5).
COST OF DOING BUSINESS: In San Diego, Roger Showley cites data from the National University System Institute for Policy Research as showing that San Diego County "would have to cover" up to 65% of the cost of a new stadium in the market, "based on what other NFL markets have contributed." Institute President Erik Bruvold said that he is "still preparing his findings, but a much lower public contribution matched by a much higher private share would make a stadium deal in San Diego an 'extreme outlier' in the NFL stadium world." Showley notes the conclusion "was in line" with what Fabiani "has been saying for months -- that other NFL stadiums have typically been financed" with 50-60% of public sources (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/5). Also in San Diego, Kevin Acee writes there is "actual momentum toward getting a stadium built." A source said, "I think there is an energy developing that we can do this. This city has some difficulty convincing itself it can do things." But a few people "cautioned that there is lingering distrust between all factions." Sources said that they consider the "chances of getting a stadium built are '50/50.'" But Acee writes for the first time, "maybe in months, the past few days have seen a shedding of pessimism and outlooks that could aptly be called sunny." San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer yesterday said, "I’ve been optimistic since the very beginning. But, yeah, you can feel it out there." However, sources said that Chargers President Dean Spanos "is believed to have accepted that the downtown site is a non-starter" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/5).
SURVEY SAYS...: In St. Louis, Jim Thomas reports dozens of current and former Rams season-ticket holders have "made it known that they have not received one of the surveys sent out by the league" in order to solicit feedback about a proposed new NFL stadium. NFL VP/Communications Brian McCarthy said that all of the surveys "should’ve been sent out by now via email and that the league wants to hear from as many fans as possible." McCarthy: "We want information from the fans who may be interested, plus you want to take a look at the reaction to different questions. It helps gauge interest, in particular to amenities that are important to fans." Thomas notes a "total of 185,000 surveys have been sent out to Rams fans." That "seems like a huge number, but McCarthy said the league is trying to cast a wide net" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/5).
