San Diego Chargers: Who Will Foot the Bill for the New Chargers Stadium?

Once a lost cause, the nine-year search for a new football stadium has found a home in the heart and soul of San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter. The downtown site has proven to be the best available, and the architects at DBRDS have created a design that improves this argument. The biggest hurdle the city and team will have to jump now is money. Who will pay almost $1 billion dollars for the new Chargers stadium?

This topic has been close to me, and the topic of several articles. As a Charger fan, a new stadium is not only needed for the team, but also vital for the city's economy. Future Super Bowls and NCAA bowl games will bring in millions of dollars. Yet, many people need convincing, and rightfully so. Taxpayers should not be paying for the bulk of this project. A minor amount is acceptable, but the burden must be shifted toward another host.

Recently, Mark Fabiani, the Chargers spokesman on this issue, estimated the total cost of the stadium at $750 million to $1 billion dollars, and would include a retractable dome, useful for possible future NCAA Final Fours. But what is first needed is money.

A possible host to help fund could be the Center City Development Corporation, who currently is in charge of redevelopment funds, funds that could be seized by the state in order to "help" the deficit we face in California. This could only hurt the population at the lower level, because using funds that belong to San Diego to improve the condition at the state's level can only do harm. Even if these funds are not spent towards a new stadium, they could be used towards improving downtown. It is vital that our redevelopment funds are kept here in San Diego.

Other contributors towards the stadium would be the Chargers, and (pending our new CBA) the NFL. Undoubtedly, the Spanos family would pitch in up to 40 percent of the total cost, but other money will potentially be available through the NFL's G3 fund, funds that ran dry after the Jets and Giants got millions and millions from the NFL to build their new park.

Also, the selling of sites like the San Diego Sports Arena and The Q could bring in large amounts of  money towards a great investment like New Chargers Stadium. Both sites lie in the hands of the Chargers and San Diego, and both are in favor of the new site.

What's obvious is that the Chargers picked a difficult time to press for a new home in America's Finest City. However, this plan has the support of the team, the NFL, and the city. It is only a matter of time before it is built. So, fellow Chargers fans, let's get this done!