CHARGERS STADIUM PLANS IN CARSON DEFLATED

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By Ed Barrena

January 14, 2016 (San Diego) -- The 32 NFL owners met on Tuesday and voted to determine the future of professional football in Los Angeles, which in turn has large implications for St. Louis, Oakland and San Diego.

Dean Spanos, Chairman of the San Diego Chargers ownership and Mark Davis, owner of the Oakland Raiders were among those present to place their vote. They were hoping to convince fellow owners that their plan for a joint stadium to be built in Carson was more viable then the stadium plans set forward by St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke, for a new facility in Inglewood, at the site of the now closed Santa Anita Raceway.

After a 30-2 result, Spanos and Davis walked away from the vote visibly frustrated with the outcome. The NFL owners overwhelmingly stood behind the Rams stadium plans and gave an unprecedented proposition to the Chargers and Raiders. The Chargers will have first choice in the option of relocating to Inglewood or to take a loan from the NFL for an extra $100 million toward a stadium to be built in San Diego, in addition to the $200 million that the NFL has already agreed to put forward. The Raiders future will be determined by the direction the Spanos family decides to take moving forward.  If the Chargers do not relocate to the Inglewood facility, the Raiders would then have the option of going there instead. Should the Chargers relocate to Inglewood, the Raiders future becomes very uncertain as they have ended their lease in Oakland.

As for the future of the Chargers in San Diego, the city is willing to move forward on stadium negotiations, if the team’s front office is in fact sincere in any effort to remain in town. Various city officials have also stated that they would prefer the Chargers distance themselves from team spokesman Mark Fabiani, who has been highly critical of the city’s efforts thus far. Mayor Faulconer has said he wants to hold a public vote to determine the community’s willingness to use public funding to help build the new stadium. 


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