OFFICIAL TITLE AND SUMMARY
BALLOT TITLE
Soccer City Citizens’ Initiative
BALLOT SUMMARY
This citizens’ initiative measure provides for the leasing and privately funded redevelopment of property owned by the City of San Diego, including demolishing the existing Mission Valley stadium and building a new stadium. The plan covers approximately 233 acres of property, including the existing stadium, and 20 acres of the former San Diego Chargers practice facility on Murphy Canyon Road.
If approved by voters, this measure would amend the San Diego Municipal Code to establish a process for the City to lease the properties for 99 years to an entity that is under consideration for or has been awarded a professional soccer league franchise for the San Diego area. If no such entity applies for a lease within one year of this measure’s effective date, the City may also accept applications from an entity with a collegiate football program or one that has been awarded the franchise for a professional sports league team in the San Diego market.
This measure includes required terms for the lease. The Mayor may change the lease terms under certain circumstances. The Mayor would sign the lease, which does not require City Council approval or a public hearing. The lease would allow the lessee to purchase up to 79.9 acres of the stadium property.
The rent must be based on the value of the leasehold interest of the properties as of March 2, 2017. The measure requires the Mayor to determine that value, and identifies some of the factors the Mayor may consider. Total rent for the 99-year term must be at least $10,000.
If approved by voters, this measure would adopt a development agreement, change the City’s planning documents and land development regulations to exempt the development from existing regulations that conflict with this measure, provide new regulations, and create a specific development plan. The development plan allows various residential, commercial, and recreational uses. If the properties are leased, the City would not be responsible for the costs of demolishing the stadium or building a new stadium. The development plan does not guarantee that any specific development will occur or that it will occur in a specific order.
Potential uses of the stadium property include:
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a new stadium with up to 32,000 seats
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a 34-acre river park
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12 acres of active use fields
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9 acres of neighborhood parks
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2.4 million square feet of office space
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740,000 square feet of retail space
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4,800 multi-family residential units (including affordable housing and student-focused housing)
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450 hotel rooms
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a 16-acre stand-alone football stadium for a professional football franchise
Potential uses of the Murphy Canyon property include:
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practice facilities
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full-sized soccer fields
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team operations
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media
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lodging for visiting teams
The maximum amount of development on the stadium property is limited by the number of projected daily traffic trips, which may be increased under specified circumstances. No public hearings are required for development applications that are consistent with the specific development plan.
This measure may not be amended before 2033 without a vote of the people.