Why Locals Should Approve a New Downtown NFL Stadium For San Diego Chargers

For nine long years, the Chargers organization has toured San Diego county looking for a new home. From Chula Vista to Escondido, Oceanside to Del Mar, the Chargers have  exhausted almost every possibility in the vicinity.

Only one site stands—downtown. Near Petco Park lies an empty lot, and an MTS station. This is the proposed site for New Chargers Stadium.

The Chargers, Raiders and 49ers currently play in the oldest stadiums in the NFL. The only problem facing the Chargers now, is getting the people on board.

At Qualcomm Stadium, an estimated 17 million is lost every year in tax dollars. This adds toward the push for an upgraded stadium. Also, the NFL has made is clear that without a new site the Chargers could never host another Super Bowl.

The question is, why hasn't the city supported the building of a new home?

The answer is this: an estimated $800 million is needed to construct a new home. Where would this cash come from? If you said tax payers' dollars, you guessed correctly.

The majority of the money could come from the people of San Diego. Millions of dollars are expected to come from the Chargers and the NFL. More money would come from the selling of Qualcomm Stadium and San Diego Sports Arena sites. The problem is getting non-Football fans on board with the plan.

A new stadium could mean an abundance of Super Bowls and a boost to the city's economy. A possible ballot vote could be in place for 2012. A vote in favor of the stadium could finally put an end to this long and miserable process. If the plan is voted down the Chargers could throw in the towel, abandon the city and take off for Los Angeles.

At any time, the Chargers could buy out of their lease at the Q, which expires in 2020. With a new stadium, the city and the Chargers would draw up a new city lease—this time without the clauses and buyouts.

For those who don’t care for football, they might not realize the impact the Chargers have on this city. Without them, the economy could tank even more, and not having football in Mission Valley, or San Diego for that matter, could emotionally hurt the city as well.