Pinch me. The price tag for a box seat on the field during a San Diego FC game will be $5,200. And the city’s new Major League Soccer team has signed its first professional soccer player, a 17-year-old local phenom goalie.
Just five years ago, former Mayor Kevin Faulconer was backing Soccer City. Our city was suffering because the San Diego Chargers dumped San Diego for Los Angeles. It was a vulnerable time.
The Soccer City backers promised a major league soccer franchise and two new stadiums. They spent enormous sums on marketing and public relations, and told San Diego State University some of the land could be used for classrooms and laboratories.
They also promised to build office facilities, a third Mission Valley commercial shopping center, and thousands of apartments, condos and single family residences. Topping off their promises was an entertainment center. For the 100-plus acres of land, they would pay a minimal amount to the city.
But despite the promises, there was a catch. Anyone reading the 4,000-page proposal could see that there was no guarantee that a major league soccer team would ever come to San Diego. And the land offered to SDSU was essentially unbuildable.
They also wanted permission to sell any of the stadium property at their own discretion for any amount they wished without money going to the city, or any requirement for permission from the city.
Though a large riverside park along the San Diego River was part of their proposal, Soccer City did not guarantee the park’s construction or financing.
An alternative idea — letting SDSU develop the entire property — made it onto the ballot. Despite the mayor’s support for Soccer City, SDSU won a smashing election victory. And now the Mission Valley stadium is reality, the river park is ready to open and campus expansion is coming.
It’s a great example of ordinary citizens seizing the initiative and achieving victory over City Hall insiders and established interests.
Now a modern football and soccer stadium prepares for a third football and soccer season. Concerts are being held. There is record-setting professional women’s soccer. And a men’s Major League Soccer franchise will play its first game at Snapdragon Stadium in 14 months.
Instead of Soccer City’s dubious promises, the people of San Diego are in good hands and will be forever. For that we can thank the 56% of San Diego voters who approved the future SDSU Mission Valley.
Raoul Lowery Contreras is a Marine Corps veteran, political consultant, prolific author and host of the Contreras Report on YouTube and Facebook.
