Chargers, NFL offer to pay for most of new San Diego stadium

The San Diego Chargers are willing to pay most of the money, along with the NFL, needed to build a stadium and keep the team in the city.

As the 2016 season is just around the corner for the NFL, we know that the San Diego Chargers will be staying in the city for at least one more year. After flirting with the chance of moving north to Los Angeles, the team will be staying in San Diego next season while attempting to work out a long-term deal.

The main argument between the team and the city is over who will pay for a new stadium needed for the Chargers to stay. Now, a report by the San Diego Union-Tribune says the team and the NFL are willing to pay most of the money to make it a reality and keep the Chargers in the same city they’ve played in since 1961:

"Members of the Chargers’ stadium team on Tuesday night detailed financing plans for a $1.8 billion stadium-convention center that includes a $1 billion stadium with a likely opening in 2022 (a date the team acknowledges is more realistic than its stated goal of 2020).In essence, the team and NFL will pay $650 million of the stadium costs, with the remaining $350 million for the stadium and the cost of building the convention center being raised through a net 4 percent hike in the hotel tax…the team would sign at least a 30-year lease and non-relocation agreement and be responsible for construction cost overruns on the stadium portion as well as desired improvements in ensuing years."

The Chargers would keep all revenues from games at the new stadium while the city would receive the money from other events held there. Still, there is resistance from some San Diego officials to help pay for any of the new stadium, causing growing concern the team will move.

As part of a deal with the NFL to stay in San Diego this season, the Chargers were given $100 million toward any efforts to stay in the city (the same deal was offered to the Raiders to stay in Oakland). If a deal can’t be worked out, the Chargers have an option to join the Los Angeles Rams in their new stadium starting with the 2017 season.

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