Beyond 2018, San Diego Sate University‘s future at SDCCU Stadium remains unclear, as it continues to discuss its football program’s options with the city.
SDSU football has a lease for the City of San Diego-owned SDCCU Stadium that runs through the 2018 season. While the university is seeking to build a new stadium for its football program, it would still be several years beyond the expiration of the SDCCU Stadium lease before the facility was ready to open.
San Diego has cited financial reasons for potentially closing SDCCU Stadium, as it costs the city at least $7 million annually to operate and maintain the facility. An alternate scenario in which SDSU would manage the venue comes with its own set of issues, because the city would have to allow its employees to bid on the job before it could turn it over to the university. Beyond that, there are questions about this year’s election, as SDSU’s plan for SDCCU Stadium and the surrounding land is expected to appear on the same ballot as SoccerCity, another proposal for the site.
That presents some challenges for both sides, though SDSU and the city indicate that they are engaged in ongoing negotiations over the football program’s situation beyond this year. More from Voice of San Diego:
But the city can’t enter a long-term deal with the university while the public considers two measures likely to appear on the November ballot. If the city made a long-term deal with the university, it could be accused of materially supporting one of the plans by resolving a significant dilemma for the university.
I inquired about the status of the negotiations and only received this joint statement from both the university and city in response:
“SDSU and the City are committed to ensuring the university has a home to play football that makes financial sense for both parties. Negotiations are ongoing and will remain confidential until a final agreement is reached,” it reads.
It was recently learned that backers of SDSU’s proposal for a new facility and surrounding development at the SDCCU Stadium site had gathered 100,000 signatures for the plan to be placed on a 2018 ballot. While those signatures will have to go through a verification process before being sent to the San Diego City Council, it is likely that SDSU’s plan will go up against SoccerCity.
Pitched by FS Investors, SoccerCity includes a stadium for an MLS expansion franchise and surrounding development. SDSU was at one point pitched on the idea of sharing the proposed stadium within SoccerCity, but ceased negotiations last year.
Image courtesy SDSU.