Poop Qualcomm Stadium an insult to dumps everywhere - Page 4

Quesadilla Joe · 08-16-2013, 02:25 PM

http://mmqb.si.com/2013/08/16/qualcomm-stadium/

An Insult to Dumps Everywhere

Qualcomm Stadium, home of the Chargers, is a decrepit hulk, but the city government’s comical dysfunction means a deal for a new venue is as far off as ever

By
Jim Trotter

When Peter King approached me about writing a weekly West Coast-centric column for his website, I found it attractive not only because I believe Sports Illustrated’s football coverage has had an eastern bias, but also because it meant shorter flights from my home in San Diego.

But then the reality hit me. It also meant more time in dumps disguised as NFL stadiums, namely O.co Coliseum in Oakland and Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. (Candlestick Park, thank goodness, has just one more year left; the 49ers move into their new building in Santa Clara in 2014.)

Actually, calling Qualcomm a dump really is an insult to dumps. The JumboTron is so old that some replacement parts can only be found on eBay. There’s no capacity for a hi-definition video board or for new electronic signage. In an era in which the NFL is trying to heighten the stadium experience to allow fans to keep up with scores and stats from other games via their smartphones, connectivity is limited in part by structural issues within the stadium. (At the preseason opener this year, one Chargers exec could not communicate via email with his staff during the game because of poor wifi.) White trash bags cover large electrical connectors that hang from a lower wall, and cracks are visible in the concrete in various places. Heavy rains often cause the drainage systems to back up, which is why the team has rubber boots on hand for fans whose seats are flooded. It’s not uncommon for sewage to leak onto the field and into the visiting locker room. According to an independent audit performed for the city, the stadium needs $70 million in maintenance and repairs.

Yes, I know. Stop whining. Things could be worse. I could have to critique One Direction for a living. But what’s especially irritating is that things don’t have to be this way. For the last decade, the Chargers have proposed a variety of plans for a new stadium that would keep the team in San Diego. The latest is a downtown venue near the convention center and the Padres’ Petco Park. Based on the cost of the Niners’ new stadium, the Chargers’ project would come to an estimated $1.1 billion, with $300 million of that from public sources. Whether you object on principle to any public financing for sports venues or not, the simple fact is that the Chargers don’t even have a viable entity to negotiate with. Their management is dealing with the most dysfunctional city government in the country. That is not hyperbole.

At one point in the last decade San Diego had four “mayors” in five years. One announced his resignation five months after a controversial re-election win over an 11th-hour write-in candidate, and his replacement then resigned after three days as acting mayor when he was convicted (though later acquitted in a new trial) of conspiracy, wire fraud and extortion.

In February, former mayor Maureen O’Connor admitted to federal prosecutors that she had taken more than $2 million from the charitable organization of her late husband, Jack-in-the-Box founder Robert Peterson, to feed a gambling habit, and that over the years she had wagered more than $1 billion at casinos across the country. And current mayor Bob Filner has effectively pulled the emergency brake on city business because he faces at least 15 accusations of sexual assault and mounting calls for his resignation.

The fact that Chargers president and CEO Dean Spanos hasn’t packed up the team already—and there is a gaping NFL void two hours up the coast in Los Angeles—speaks volumes about his sincerity about keeping the Chargers in town, although many of his critics will refuse to accept that. I’ve butted heads with Spanos on multiple occasions over the years, but one thing I’ve never questioned is his commitment to staying in town and doing a deal that’s fair to both sides.

His family name means everything to him. As I’ve written before, when his football people are considering a potentially controversial move, his input often is along the lines of: Don’t embarrass my family. He realizes that if he moves the Chargers, he will be to San Diego what Art Modell was to Cleveland. And if he does a deal that gets over on the city while keeping the Chargers in town, well, that would be equally unpleasant.

But how do you do a negotiate with a metropolis that is rudderless? “The city needs mayoral leadership for big projects, and right now it is not there,” city attorney Jan Goldsmith said in a statement to The MMQB. “But, we will get through this turmoil.”

Spanos is clearly frustrated, but not broken. “We’ve been over 10 years in this process, and there have been times where we thought we were close,” he said. “But we may be the furthest we’ve been from getting a stadium done because of what’s happened locally. It’s really a sad situation. But we’re not going to stop trying to get a deal done. I haven’t given up. It’s still the greatest place to live. This is where I’m from. This is where I want to be—and that means a lot. But this is a business, and we have to compete with 31 other clubs. It’s my responsibility to put this organization in the best financial position it can be in to be competitive with the 31 other clubs.”

Spanos recognizes the financial issues facing the city, which is why his group is trying to structure a deal in which any public money (more on that in a minute) would not come from the general fund that’s used for police, fire, road repairs and the like. Some residents are against spending any public money on a proposed project for the Chargers, but the reality is that the city already is spending roughly $15 million a year to maintain Qualcomm and the San Diego Sports Arena, both of which it owns.

Spread those costs over the seven years remaining on the team’s lease after this season, add in the $70 million in deferred maintenance that’s due, and the Chargers believe that by bonding against that money it would cover the $300 million public contribution the team expects to seek. The city also would then be able to sell the 166 acres at the Qualcomm site, as well as the parcel that the Sports Arena sits on.

It’s a significant vision—something the area has lacked for years—because it incorporates three different parts of town: the Qualcomm site in Mission Valley; Point Loma, where the Sports Arena sits; and downtown. But the city needs strong leadership to help get a deal done, and there’s no indication such leadership currently exists at City Hall. Without it, San Diego is sure to lose the team.

My words, not Spanos’s. Just do the math.

The Chargers rank in the bottom quartile in the NFL in revenue. Teams share national television money, but local monies, such as those from TV and radio deals, suite sales, sponsorships and advertising, are kept by the individual teams. The Chargers are among the have-nots in this area.

For instance, if they sell all 113 of their suites at Qualcomm, at an average of $125,000 per suite, that totals just over $14 million. If Dallas sells out its 300 suites, at an average of $250,000, that’s $75 million for the Cowboys. In other words, suite sales alone amount to an advantage of more than $60 million in local revenue. Such differences affect how teams spend on their coaches and how they structure contracts for cash flow.

The 47-year-old Qualcomm was originally built for baseball and football and was more suited to the former—which becomes glaringly obvious when visiting a modern stadium. For one, the seats are closer to the field in new stadiums, whereas they flow away from the field in Qualcomm. The first row of seats in San Diego is approximately 70 feet from the playing field, nearly twice the distance compared to Invesco Field in Denver and the refurbished Soldier Field in Chicago. And many of those front row seats at Qualcomm—great for those old Padres games—are obstructed for football.

With all the turmoil in city government, the Chargers’ path to a new stadium looks just as obstructed for now. So, Candlestick for another year. Qualcomm and the Oakland coliseum for who knows how much longer. Suddenly I’m starting to wonder if this West Coast assignment was a good deal after all.

**TribalElder** · 08-16-2013, 04:19 PM

No worries, nobody uses those seats anyway

vailpass · 08-16-2013, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TribalElder

No worries, nobody uses those seats anyway

Simply Red · 08-16-2013, 05:24 PM

in that town - who gives a crap?

**Dave Lane** · 08-16-2013, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiego49er

1) I live in San Diego.
2) I have family history from the Bay and have always been a 49ers fan. Still am.
3) I always liked Alex Smith. Now that he is with you I want to see how he does and I will follow him and you guys and post with you guys. Because I'm interested.

I think he will do well for you.

What is up with the dumb ****ers following Smiff around like a fluffer? Is he a Mormon? Is he Gay? Why would anyone care about his lack of production as a QB?

**DaneMcCloud** · 08-16-2013, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

And Los Angeles is a well-oiled machine that is responsive to the needs of its people and proactive at job-creating projects and opportunities.

The old mayor probably screwed a good 1/3rd of all the vaginas in LA County, and the new mayor looks like Phil Dunphy from Modern Family.

The only saving grace for football in San Diego is that Los Angeles will never get its act together.

As I mentioned in the Los Angeles stadium thread, everything has been approved and is ready to go for a downtown AEG stadium next to Staples. 72,000 seats, retractable dome with Farmer's Insurance locked in for $20 million a year for 20 years.

All that's left is a team willing to move and give up 49% of the ownership share.

**DaneMcCloud** · 08-16-2013, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiego49er

It's in the lower echelon of stadiums in the NFL. It is old and not super IMO. But not as bad as Oakland or the 49ers stadium. Maybe a few others.

Sure they need a new stadium. They have no budget to do it. So it won't happen. It's not really dirty. Just old. What are you finding dirty about it?

Are you a troll? That stadium was built in the 50's and it's a dump. It's almost as bad as the Oakland Coliseum.

SanDiego49er · 08-16-2013, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Are you a troll? That stadium was built in the 50's and it's a dump. It's almost as bad as the Oakland Coliseum.

Qualcomm Stadium was opened in 1967. All I had to do was search the internet for that. Wasn't hard.

SanDiego49er · 08-16-2013, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

What is up with the dumb ****ers following Smiff around like a fluffer? Is he a Mormon? Is he Gay? Why would anyone care about his lack of production as a QB?

What is your question? I'm interested to see how he does. And I hope he does well for you actually. Also we have a draft pick in 2014 invested in the results too.

But mostly I think he will do well for KC. I hope he does. He's an improvement over what you had.

listopencil · 08-16-2013, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiego49er

Qualcomm Stadium was opened in 1967. All I had to do was search the internet for that. Wasn't hard.

It took them seventeen years to build it.

SanDiego49er · 08-16-2013, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by listopencil

It took them seventeen years to build it.

No it didn't. They broke ground in 1965. Took 2 years. Also on the internet.

listopencil · 08-16-2013, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiego49er

No it didn't. They broke ground in 1965. Took 2 years. Also on the internet.

Lies.

Garcia Bronco · 08-16-2013, 06:03 PM

The Murph is an old stadium

SanDiego49er · 08-16-2013, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by listopencil

Lies.

That's what a lot of these guys think. They think 1950 because it just popped into their head. It's 1967. And it's been remodeled a lot of times. 80's and 90's and 2000's. Not everything in there is 1967.

Psyko Tek · 08-16-2013, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detoxing

SD fans may not show up to watch the games, but SD has one of the largest NFL T.V markets in the country. The fans here love football, but i suppose it's a combination of transplants and so many other, cheaper things to do that keeps the people from filling the stadium.

I went to a chargers game , it was when TG got the record for something,
so it was at least 10 years ago
getting out of that place was a nightmare easier to walk than take the train

AussieChiefsFan · 08-16-2013, 08:45 PM

That and the O.Co Coliseum.

08-16-2013, 02:25 PM
Quesadilla Joe Abolish The Salary Cap! Join Date: Mar 2008 Casino cash: $3408675	Qualcomm Stadium an insult to dumps everywhere http://mmqb.si.com/2013/08/16/qualcomm-stadium/ An Insult to Dumps Everywhere Qualcomm Stadium, home of the Chargers, is a decrepit hulk, but the city government’s comical dysfunction means a deal for a new venue is as far off as ever By Jim Trotter When Peter King approached me about writing a weekly West Coast-centric column for his website, I found it attractive not only because I believe Sports Illustrated’s football coverage has had an eastern bias, but also because it meant shorter flights from my home in San Diego. But then the reality hit me. It also meant more time in dumps disguised as NFL stadiums, namely O.co Coliseum in Oakland and Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. (Candlestick Park, thank goodness, has just one more year left; the 49ers move into their new building in Santa Clara in 2014.) Actually, calling Qualcomm a dump really is an insult to dumps. The JumboTron is so old that some replacement parts can only be found on eBay. There’s no capacity for a hi-definition video board or for new electronic signage. In an era in which the NFL is trying to heighten the stadium experience to allow fans to keep up with scores and stats from other games via their smartphones, connectivity is limited in part by structural issues within the stadium. (At the preseason opener this year, one Chargers exec could not communicate via email with his staff during the game because of poor wifi.) White trash bags cover large electrical connectors that hang from a lower wall, and cracks are visible in the concrete in various places. Heavy rains often cause the drainage systems to back up, which is why the team has rubber boots on hand for fans whose seats are flooded. It’s not uncommon for sewage to leak onto the field and into the visiting locker room. According to an independent audit performed for the city, the stadium needs $70 million in maintenance and repairs. Yes, I know. Stop whining. Things could be worse. I could have to critique One Direction for a living. But what’s especially irritating is that things don’t have to be this way. For the last decade, the Chargers have proposed a variety of plans for a new stadium that would keep the team in San Diego. The latest is a downtown venue near the convention center and the Padres’ Petco Park. Based on the cost of the Niners’ new stadium, the Chargers’ project would come to an estimated $1.1 billion, with $300 million of that from public sources. Whether you object on principle to any public financing for sports venues or not, the simple fact is that the Chargers don’t even have a viable entity to negotiate with. Their management is dealing with the most dysfunctional city government in the country. That is not hyperbole. At one point in the last decade San Diego had four “mayors” in five years. One announced his resignation five months after a controversial re-election win over an 11th-hour write-in candidate, and his replacement then resigned after three days as acting mayor when he was convicted (though later acquitted in a new trial) of conspiracy, wire fraud and extortion. In February, former mayor Maureen O’Connor admitted to federal prosecutors that she had taken more than $2 million from the charitable organization of her late husband, Jack-in-the-Box founder Robert Peterson, to feed a gambling habit, and that over the years she had wagered more than $1 billion at casinos across the country. And current mayor Bob Filner has effectively pulled the emergency brake on city business because he faces at least 15 accusations of sexual assault and mounting calls for his resignation. The fact that Chargers president and CEO Dean Spanos hasn’t packed up the team already—and there is a gaping NFL void two hours up the coast in Los Angeles—speaks volumes about his sincerity about keeping the Chargers in town, although many of his critics will refuse to accept that. I’ve butted heads with Spanos on multiple occasions over the years, but one thing I’ve never questioned is his commitment to staying in town and doing a deal that’s fair to both sides. His family name means everything to him. As I’ve written before, when his football people are considering a potentially controversial move, his input often is along the lines of: Don’t embarrass my family. He realizes that if he moves the Chargers, he will be to San Diego what Art Modell was to Cleveland. And if he does a deal that gets over on the city while keeping the Chargers in town, well, that would be equally unpleasant. But how do you do a negotiate with a metropolis that is rudderless? “The city needs mayoral leadership for big projects, and right now it is not there,” city attorney Jan Goldsmith said in a statement to The MMQB. “But, we will get through this turmoil.” Spanos is clearly frustrated, but not broken. “We’ve been over 10 years in this process, and there have been times where we thought we were close,” he said. “But we may be the furthest we’ve been from getting a stadium done because of what’s happened locally. It’s really a sad situation. But we’re not going to stop trying to get a deal done. I haven’t given up. It’s still the greatest place to live. This is where I’m from. This is where I want to be—and that means a lot. But this is a business, and we have to compete with 31 other clubs. It’s my responsibility to put this organization in the best financial position it can be in to be competitive with the 31 other clubs.” Spanos recognizes the financial issues facing the city, which is why his group is trying to structure a deal in which any public money (more on that in a minute) would not come from the general fund that’s used for police, fire, road repairs and the like. Some residents are against spending any public money on a proposed project for the Chargers, but the reality is that the city already is spending roughly $15 million a year to maintain Qualcomm and the San Diego Sports Arena, both of which it owns. Spread those costs over the seven years remaining on the team’s lease after this season, add in the $70 million in deferred maintenance that’s due, and the Chargers believe that by bonding against that money it would cover the $300 million public contribution the team expects to seek. The city also would then be able to sell the 166 acres at the Qualcomm site, as well as the parcel that the Sports Arena sits on. It’s a significant vision—something the area has lacked for years—because it incorporates three different parts of town: the Qualcomm site in Mission Valley; Point Loma, where the Sports Arena sits; and downtown. But the city needs strong leadership to help get a deal done, and there’s no indication such leadership currently exists at City Hall. Without it, San Diego is sure to lose the team. My words, not Spanos’s. Just do the math. The Chargers rank in the bottom quartile in the NFL in revenue. Teams share national television money, but local monies, such as those from TV and radio deals, suite sales, sponsorships and advertising, are kept by the individual teams. The Chargers are among the have-nots in this area. For instance, if they sell all 113 of their suites at Qualcomm, at an average of $125,000 per suite, that totals just over $14 million. If Dallas sells out its 300 suites, at an average of $250,000, that’s $75 million for the Cowboys. In other words, suite sales alone amount to an advantage of more than $60 million in local revenue. Such differences affect how teams spend on their coaches and how they structure contracts for cash flow. The 47-year-old Qualcomm was originally built for baseball and football and was more suited to the former—which becomes glaringly obvious when visiting a modern stadium. For one, the seats are closer to the field in new stadiums, whereas they flow away from the field in Qualcomm. The first row of seats in San Diego is approximately 70 feet from the playing field, nearly twice the distance compared to Invesco Field in Denver and the refurbished Soldier Field in Chicago. And many of those front row seats at Qualcomm—great for those old Padres games—are obstructed for football. With all the turmoil in city government, the Chargers’ path to a new stadium looks just as obstructed for now. So, Candlestick for another year. Qualcomm and the Oakland coliseum for who knows how much longer. Suddenly I’m starting to wonder if this West Coast assignment was a good deal after all.
Posts: 19,907

08-16-2013, 04:19 PM	#46
TribalElder Arrowhead Trail of Tears Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: KansasCity Casino cash: $-619559	No worries, nobody uses those seats anyway __________________ Pressure is a privilege, and champions adjust
Posts: 29,553

08-16-2013, 05:24 PM	#48
Simply Red You Sweetie! Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $2021206219 VARSITY	in that town - who gives a crap?
Posts: 71,691

08-16-2013, 06:03 PM	#57
Garcia Bronco No Keys, No Problem Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Denver Casino cash: $1683136	The Murph is an old stadium
Posts: 32,967

08-16-2013, 08:45 PM	#60
AussieChiefsFan MVP Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney, Australia Casino cash: $5688501	That and the O.Co Coliseum.
Posts: 13,760