San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer yesterday spoke with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about the city’s "efforts to build a new Chargers stadium," and Nixon Peabody Managing Dir Chris Melvin, the city’s chief stadium negotiator, today is "scheduled to meet" with top league officials in N.Y., according to David Garrick of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Those efforts come one week after the Chargers "declared a proposed Dec. 15 stadium vote impossible because of environmental approval problems, a move that essentially halted negotiations." Faulconer Chief of Staff Matt Awbrey said that the telephone conversation "lasted about 45 minutes." Awbrey said that Melvin today will "explain to NFL officials the city’s position regarding environmental approvals and a public vote." He added that Faulconer and Goodell "agreed that San Diego’s negotiating team and NFL officials will continue to communicate before the NFL owners meeting on Aug. 11" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 6/23).
TWO OF A KIND: ESPN.com's Eric Williams wrote yesterday's discussion "could be too little, too late for Faulconer." City leaders for the L.A. suburb of Carson yesterday held a town hall meeting for about 400 people to "update local residents on the progress being made" on a proposed shared Chargers-Raiders stadium. The crowd included "a smattering of Chargers fans voicing their displeasure with the team potentially relocating" from San Diego (ESPN.com, 6/22). In L.A., Thuc Nhi Nguyen notes the meeting "effectively doubled as a pep rally" for the joint-stadium plan in Carson, but fans of the Rams "also attended, lending their support to plans for a privately financed stadium in Inglewood" by team Owner Stan Kroenke. The Inglewood project "is seen as the leading option for the NFL’s return" as it has "already has been approved for the construction of an 80,000-seat stadium." However, Carson Mayor Albert Robles "stressed that Carson has quickly closed the gap between the two stadium proposals" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 6/23).
BRIDGING THE FINANCIAL GAP: In Oakland, Matthew Artz reports city officials "finally have their hands on a preliminary financing plan" for a new Raiders stadium there. The financing plan, one of several reports submitted yesterday by San Diego developer Floyd Kephart, is "bound by a confidentiality agreement and has not yet been released" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 6/23). CSNBAYAREA.com's Scott Bair reported details of the submissions "will be absorbed and evaluated by public officials and the Raiders in the coming weeks." Kephart was tasked with "finding innovative ways to help bridge" a $400M funding gap for an estimated $900M stadium project (CSNBAYAREA.com, 6/22). ESPN.com's Bill Williamson noted Oakland officials "have 20 business days to either accept, reject or ask Kephart for clarifications on his plan." Kephart said that he "hopes to hear some feedback by next week" (ESPN.com, 6/22).
