San Diego’s City Council voted, 6-3, Tuesday to expedite an environmental impact report for a possible Mission Valley stadium site by spending $2.1 million.
According to Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s spokesman Matt Awbrey, the expediting of the EIR is a clear signal to the National Football League that San Diego is serious about a new stadium.
The NFL has continuously stated that they would like to try and keep teams in their home markets. The city will have to rely on the NFL to help keep the Chargers in town, because the Bolts have left the negotiation table.
As far as the EIR, though, Faulconer believes that it’s an important thing, regardless of whether the Chargers stay in town or not.
“Regardless of what ultimately happens with the team, this environmental impact report is valuable to taxpayers,” he said in a release. “Whether a new stadium is built or Qualcomm Stadium is simply demolished, this environmental analysis can be used.”
Chargers special counsel Mark Fabiani said earlier this week that a stadium EIR report would be “a complete waste of taxpayer money.”
However, the money for the EIR will come from unrestricted state funds owed to the city, according to Faulconer’s office. Awbrey also said their plan will “not include any new taxes.”
Awbrey also went on to say in a release that a multipurpose stadium could be valuable even if the Chargers don’t stay in San Diego.
Other ventures a stadium could be used for would be to bring in a Major League Soccer team and could also provide a new home for the San Diego State football team.
The city still believes that it could complete the EIR by January 2016 and hold an anticipated special election for a Mission Valley stadium.
A meeting will be held on July 15 to plan a draft EIR for the Mission Valley project presented by the Mayor’s Citizen Stadium Advisory Group.
While the city goes on with its pursuit of a Mission Valley Stadium, the Chargers continue to pursue their joint-complex stadium venture in Carson with the Oakland Raiders.