Allowing the Chargers to Leave San Diego Would Be a Huge Mistake

Okay San Diego, let's get serious.  Do you know what you have?  Do you know what you need?  Do you know what you will lose if you don't start jumping over the necessary hurdles to build a new stadium?  I don't think you do!

That's right, I don't think the good people of San Diego have a true appreciation of what they will be missing out on if a new stadium doesn't get built.  Not all San Diegans, but enough to make it doubtful that the vote for a new stadium will go through in time to save the city's NFL franchise.

Let's take a look at some reasons to build, shall we?

The Obvious: the San Diego Chargers

Yes, the sight of Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers running on the field before a big game may be getting hazier everyday.  The Chargers are San Diego's participant in the National Football League (NFL). 

The NFL just happens to be a multi-billion dollar business that is followed by millions of Americans and has a rising popularity around the world.  San Diego is one of 31 cities in the United States that has a team in the NFL. One of 31!

Now, since the Chargers are the "sexiest" tenant in Qualcomm Stadium, they are the leading the battle cry for a new stadium.  The fear is that if the Chargers don't get a new stadium, they will move to Los Angeles where much work is being done toward the building of a new football mecca.

You may think that losing the Chargers would be enough reason to make sure a deal got done, but there are a lot of citizens of San Diego who just don't really care.  These people vote, too.

That is why I think the Chargers have to be distanced from the project and the Mayor has to step up and start the fight for a new, "all purpose facility" in San Diego that will be open for business 300 plus days a year. 

This may quiet the people who don't want to spend money on a stadium that will host 10 Chargers games and half a dozen San Diego State Aztec games per year.

Income from the NFL $$$

San Diego has hosted the Super Bowl in the past.  In fact, many think that it is the perfect destination for the Super Bowl.  It has wonderful weather, plenty of hotels, a huge number of quality restaurants, and it is a desirable destination for people who want to get away from the winter weather around the country.

The NFL has stated that San Diego will never host another Super Bowl unless the current stadium is replaced by a state of the art facility, or the old stadium is refurbished.

Whether you like football or not, there is no argument when it comes to how much money the Super Bowl brings into whatever city it is played.  Hundreds of millions of dollars come flooding into the host city.  Business owners throughout the city can make huge profits over this two-week period.

It is believed by most in the know that if San Diego builds a new stadium, it will most likely be placed in a rotation of NFL cities to receive the Super Bowl.  This rotation would bring San Diego a championship game every five or six years.

Also, all of the worldwide coverage that comes with the Super Bowl is great public relations for the city and certainly will increase the tourist industry.

Other Events Can Be Held at the New Stadium as Well!

There are many other events that can be held at a quality multi-purpose facility.  It's not all about the Chargers. 

Major concerts bring money into the city.  As do conventions, Super Cross, Rodeos, San Diego State Football, college bowl games, high school football championships, rugby, soccer matches, MMA events, car shows, clinics, etc.

These and many other events can be brought into the new facility to satisfy the grumpy people who are convinced that San Diego will be just fine without the Chargers.

Thousands of jobs will be created as well.  Not only will there be temporary jobs for the construction of the facility, but thousands of permanent positions to run the facility for all of the events that take place throughout the year.  Seems to me, there are a lot of people who need work these days.

Petco Park Delivered What Was Promised

The building of Petco Park for the San Diego Padres was a tough decision as well.  It was going to cost a lot of money and not everyone cared if the Padres stayed or left the city. 

The Padres promised that having a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility in the downtown area would help in raising the quality of the area, hence bringing in more income to the city.

If you visited the downtown area of San Diego, you know that it was not a family friendly or tourist friendly area to say the least. Homeless people and prostitutes were the norm and there were few establishments that would attract tourists or locals.

Since Petco was built, the area is thriving.  There are countless hotels, restaurants, clubs, and businesses that are jammed with with paying customers on weekends and weeknights alike.

For those who say that the Padres ownership didn't keep their promise of raising the team payroll if they got a new stadium......no argument there.  None the less, the area is thriving, even if the Padres are little more than a solid AAA team.

Besides, do you really want the Padres as the sole major representative of San Diego sports?  I don't.

How About This Angle?

Okay, okay!! You don't care about the Chargers.  You don't care about the Aztecs.  You don't care if thousands of jobs are created.  You don't care if another Super Bowl ever comes to San Diego.  You don't want to see millions of dollars flooding downtown San Diego and neighboring areas.  You just don't want a new stadium!

Consider this.  If the Chargers leave, the Charger Girls leave too.  By not voting for a new stadium, you may be blowing your big chance of hooking up with one of these beauties.  You don't want to see these girls move away to Los Angeles where you will never even get a chance to meet them, much less date them.

Think about it.

Thanks for the read and please leave your comments below.  I would love to see what you have to say and respond.