Alliance Formed To Promote New Chargers Stadium
Local Business Leaders Make Up Coalition
POSTED: 10:06 a.m. PST March 4, 2003
UPDATED: 10:26 a.m. PST March 4, 2003
SAN DIEGO -- A group of business leaders has formed a coalition to back a new stadium for the Chargers, 10News reported.
The coalition called the Fans, Taxpayers and Business Alliance describes itself as an advocacy group that also wants to be an objective news source on stadium issues.
Most of the alliance's organizers are members of the San Diego International Sports Council, which promotes tourism-related sporting events and receives a portion of its budget through an annual public subsidy from hotel taxes.
"We're going to advocate for a new stadium for the city of San Diego," Adam Day, a public affairs director with the Kumeyaay Nation and a founding member of the alliance, told The San Diego Union-Tribune.
"We're not advocating any solution, per se. What we're advocating is a dialogue on finding a fiscally responsible solution to the stadium question. We want to be an honest broker of factual information for proponents and opponents."
Chargers spokesman Mark Fabiani told the Union-Tribune he welcomed the group's effort.
"The more people who are involved in the process, the more ideas that will be generated -- and that will benefit everyone," he said.
Over the past year, National Football League officials have expressed their frustrations to city and Chamber of Commerce officials about the lack of business advocacy for a new stadium.
A citizen's task force was set up by the city to study the possibility of a new stadium. Last week, the group recommended that the City Council enter into negotiations with the team.
The task force urged the city not to use the general fund to pay for a new stadium and recommended leasing the Qualcomm Stadium city to the Chargers. However, the panel left open the option of using sales or other taxes such as transient occupancy tax.
The council is expected to vote on the issue on March 18.
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Previous Stories:
- February 28, 2003: Task Force: Redevelop Stadium Without Public Funds
- February 21, 2003: Chargers Task Force: No Public Money To Be Used
- January 27, 2003: Chargers Have Until Wednesday To Use Contract Trigger
- January 16, 2003: Chargers New Stadium Plan Asks Taxpayers For $200M
- December 23, 2002: Task Force To Consider Extending Chargers' 'Escape' Period
- December 6, 2002: Sports Council Presents New Stadium Plan
- December 5, 2002: Chargers' Stadium Lease Talks Begin
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