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>> >>PEGGY PICO: A SIMILAR PLAN TO INCLUDE A NEW STADIUM IN THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION
WAS REJECTED BY CITY LEADERS TWO YEARS AGO. THE CHARGERS REVIVED THE PLAN LAST WEEK, JUST
BEFORE THE CONVENTION EXPANSION PLAN IS CONSIDERED BY THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION.
HERE WITH MORE IS MARK FABIANA GENERAL COUNCIL FOR THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS.
TELL US HOW THIS STADIUM PROPOSAL IS DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE BACK IN 2011.
>> >>: WE MOVED AWAY FROM A FOOTBALL ONLY CONCEPT AND INSTEAD ARE PROPOSING TO COMBINE
THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION AND THE STADIUM THAT WOULD HAVE A RETRACTIBLE FABRIC ROOF,
AND HOST THE MEDIUM SIZED CONVENTIONS, BUT THE BIGGEST IN THE WORLD, THE SUPER BOWL,
FINAL FOUR, TO THE MAJOR CONVENTIONS WE CAN'T GET.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: THE VIDEOS THE VIEWERS ARE SEEING, THIS IS THE ORIGINAL PLAN, BUT IT'S
CHANGED NOW BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO CONNECT IT AND HAVE THE RETRACTIBLE COVER.
>> >>: THAT'S CORRECT. THE IDEA IS IF WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A FACILITY,
WE NEED TO WILD BUILD IT FOR MORE THAN JUST NFL AND COLLEGE GAMES.
THIS WOULD GIVE A CHANCE TO DO THAT. >> >>PEGGY PICO: WHY ARE THE CHARGERS PROPOSING
THIS KIND OF REVISED PLAN NOW? >> >>: BECAUSE OF THE COASTAL COMMISSION HEARING.
THE COASTAL COMMISSION MEETS IN OCTOBER AND WE WERE TOLD BY OUR COASTAL COMMISSION EXPERTS
THAT UNLESS WE PRESENTED AN ALTERNATIVE, THE COMMISSION WOULDN'T NECESSARILY CONSIDER ONE
ON ITS OWN. WE KNOW THE COMMISSION HAS CONCERNS OVER PUTTING
A BIG BOX ON THE WATER FRONT IN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO, WHICH IS WHAT THE CITY IS NOW PROPOSING
TO DO TO EXPAND THE CONVENTION CENTER. WE THOUGHT THEY NEEDED TO SEE AN ALTERNATIVE.
I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME IN WITH ALTERNATIVES OURS IS JUST ONE OF THEM.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: IN A RECENT PRESS CONFERENCE, SAN DIEGO INTERIM MAYOR TODD GLORIA HAD THIS
TO SAY ABOUT PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. LET'S LISTEN.
>> >>: IT IS A PLAN THAT IS VITAL FOR US TO RETAIN AND ATTRACT OTHER CONVENTIONS.
MOST OF WHOM HAVE MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR THEY WANT TO HOLD THEIR EVENTS AT A PLACE
WITH CONTIGUOUS SPACE. FEW CONVENTIONS ARE INTERESTED IN HOLDING
THEIR EVENTS IN A VENUE THAT IS SPREAD OUT OVER SEVERAL CITY BLOCKS.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: SO HE'S ESSENTIALLY SAYING SPREAD OUT OVER CITY BLOCKS, WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE
TO THAT. >> >>: ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS READ THE STUDIES
THAT THE CITY COMMISSION BY EXPERTS WHICH SAID THAT 90% OF THE CONVENTIONS WHICH BYPASS
SAN DIEGO RIGHT NOW COULD BE HELD IN 250,000 SQUARE FEET OR LESS OF CONVENTION SPACE, WHICH
IS EXACTLY THE AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD HAVE IN THE COMBINED STADIUM CONVENTION CENTER FACILITY.
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE WALKING BACK AND FORTH.
THEY WOULD BE SELF CONTAINED CONVENTIONS, THAT'S 90% OF THE BUSINESS WE MISS OUT ON.
WE'LL HAVE ACCESS TO ALL KINDS OF BUSINESS THAT WE'LL NEVER GET FROM THE SUPER BOWL TO
OTHER THINGS. >> >>PEGGY PICO: HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST AND
WHO WOULD PAY FOR IT. >> >>: IT WOULD PROBABLY COST ABOUT 1.2 BILLION,
WHICH IS LESS THAN THE 1.6 BILLION TO BUILD THEM SEPARATELY.
WHO WOULD PAY FOR IT? WE WOULD LOOK TO SOME OF THE SAME HOTEL TAXES
BEING USED NOW, EXCEPT THEY WOULDN'T BE IMPOSED BY THE HOTELIERS, THE PUBLIC WOULD VOTE.
THE CHARGERS AND THE NFL WOULD PUT IN 400 MILLION DOLLARS, WE HAVE A MAJOR COLONY CAPITAL
THAT'S INTERESTED IN THIS, WE CAN FREE UP THE QUALCOMM LAND AND THE SPORTS ARENA LAND.
THERE'S AWA TO THIS WITHOUT TOUCHING THE CITY'S SERVICES OR GENERAL FUND.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: TODD GLORIA SAID THEY COULDN'T TRANSFER THE FUNDS FOR THE EXPANSION 500 MILLION,
520 COULDN'T BE USED FOR THAT. WERE YOU COUNTING ON THAT MONEY?
>> >>: NO ONE SHOULD COUNT ON THAT MONEY BECAUSE IT'S TIED UP IN COURT RIGHT NOW.
LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THE TAX IS ILLEGAL. WE WOULD PUT THAT TO A VOTE TO THE PEOPLE.
THE PEOPLE WOULD VOTE YES OR NO TO USE MONEY FOR HOTEL TAX FOR THE STADIUM.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: SO YOU'D LIKE TO PUT THIS TO THE VOTE FOR SAN DIEGANS, BUT IF THE CHARGERS
AREN'T HAVING A GREAT SEASON IS THAT GOING TO INFLUENCE THE VOTE?
>> >>: OF COURSE IT WILL. THIS IS A SPORT.
IN THE END, IT'S DOLLARS AND CENTS. DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE
THIS PROJECT. WE THINK WHEN THEY EVALUATE THE MONEY THEY
CAN GET FROM THE QUALCOMM SITE, THE SPORTS ARENA SITE, THE EVENTS, WE WOULD GET A GOOD
CHANCE OF WINNING THE VOTE. >> >>PEGGY PICO: HAVE YOU EVALUATED OR BEEN
ABLE TO SAY HOW MUCH REVENUE WOULD BE COMING IN? ARE YOU ABLE TO SHOW PEOPLE THIS IS HOW
MUCH WE THINK WE CAN GET? >> >>: SURE, STUDIES HAVE BEEN DONE ON THE
SUPER BOWL WHICH IS 500 TO 600 MILLION DOLLAR INFUSION INTO THE ECONOMY.
SIMILAR STUDIES ARE DONE FOR THE NCAA FINAL FOUR.
EACH OF THESE MAJOR EVENTS SAN DIEGO WILL NEVER SEE, EVEN IF WE EXPAND THE CONVENTION
CENTER. EACH ONE OF THESE EVENTS HAS BEEN WELL STUDIED
AND YOU CAN ADD UP THE AMOUNTS THEY BRING TO THE TOWN.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: THANK YOU SO MUCH.