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“Election Day-How Are You Voting”

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It’s Red-vs-Blue Day across America.

The mid-term elections, the battle for House-Senate seats.

Can the Democrats take back from the Republicans?

Will all the issues that President Donald Trump has created-confronted, lead to additional support, or will this be the beginning of his end?

Here in San Diego, there are important measures, but in my venue, my neighborhood, my wheelhouse, all things about the San Diego Stadium ballots are front and center.

The crumbling Qualcomm sight, the need for a new stadium, the effort to bring and expansion franchise for Major League Soccer, the need for land to build a Western campus annex for San Diego State, the River Park, Mixed use retail, and academic and apartment buildings, are all part of the presentations.

This has been a war of words between ‘Soccer City’ and ‘SDSU-West’. Both ballots carry merit and come with complications.

Soccer City has many of the components the SDSU-West package has.

What I like about the F-S Investors, is the ideas of building the Soccer-Aztecs Stadium, and turning it over to SDSU in five years. And setting aside a 5-acre parcel, so that if an opportunity arises to get an NFL team back here, the land would be available to build on the Qualcomm sight, with an outside developer coming in to do it. They would also take on the cost of maintenance of the current stadium till the new one opens, then pay for the tear down-fall down of the old Chargers Stadium.

What I don’t understand is the big picture for SDSU-West, where is the developer for all the outside parcels they need to make this work, and where is the money is going to come from, to make this work.

Both sides will have to negotiate with the city for the ‘fair price’ of the land they would purchase. Knowing the history of the state university system, I wonder how they are ever going to get a deal done, considering the pace it takes them to buy pencil and papers, much less come to a decision on a fair price.

I think Soccer City has all that experience in their pocket, and knows land values. Someone has to prove to me SDSU has that expertise and commitment for all the components they put in their fancy brochures.

San Diego State, which hasn’t put a penny into the Qualcomm sight over the years, has a history of walking around with its ‘hand out’-give it to me because we are a University.

Simply put, the ballot should read.

Stadium & Retail (Soccer City)….vs Stadium & Academics (SDSU West).

The ballot that gets over 50% wins. If neither wins, then the city can take the land, put it out to bid to any and all developers.

Mayor Kevin Falconer is headed to his final years as city leader. Maybe this can be his parting calling card. He didn’t lose the Charges, in fact he came damn close to getting a deal done. Maybe he owes the city this type of accomplishment.

And a different idea to ponder.

And maybe the is the best result of all. The Mayor getting both Soccer City and SDSU back to the negotiating table, and working out a ‘win-win’ for both entities. Maybe lease a piece of the land to Soccer City….and a chunk of land to sDSU-West for their buildings. Maybe instead of selling the land, renting it, continue income streams for the city.

Agree-or-Disagree?

How are you voting?

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