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San Diego Union-Tribune
NORBERTO SANTANA JR.
Task Force on Chargers offers final report to city
March 7, 2003
Abstract:
"There's valuable information in this report for whichever path the
city chooses to take with the Chargers," said task force member Geoff
Patnoe, who represented the San Diego County Taxpayers Association on the
panel.
Task force Chairman David Watson said the Chargers' decision this week to
pull a contract trigger that allows them to leave the city makes the work
done by the panel's contracts committee more relevant.
That committee was made up of attorneys, including Watson, and it offers
council members various strategies for muting the negative effects of the
Chargers' trigger, he said.
Full Text:
Copyright SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE PUBLISHING COMPANY Mar 7, 2003
Editions vary
The City Council received the final report yesterday from the Citizens'
Task Force on Chargers Issues. It advises the council to talk to the team
and consider leasing the Chargers the 166-acre Qualcomm Stadium site.
The 15-member volunteer panel was appointed by the council in July to
explore if there is a fiscally responsible way to respond to the Chargers'
call for a new stadium.
In the 85-page report, the task force analyzes council options for enforcing
the current contract with the Chargers and says its economic impact on
San Diego is $150 million annually. The report also details the condition
of Qualcomm Stadium and presents development options for the site.
"There's valuable information in this report for whichever path the
city chooses to take with the Chargers," said task force member Geoff
Patnoe, who represented the San Diego County Taxpayers Association on
the panel.
Task force Chairman David Watson said the Chargers' decision this week
to pull a contract trigger that allows them to leave the city makes the
work done by the panel's contracts committee more relevant.
That committee was made up of attorneys, including Watson, and it offers
council members various strategies for muting the negative effects of
the Chargers' trigger, he said.
"They're going to have to adopt a very businesslike approach to this,"
Watson said.
The council has scheduled a public hearing on the report for March 18.
That day, the council also will consider hiring outside attorneys and
auditors to handle renegotiation issues with the Chargers.
Norberto Santana: (619) 718-5069; norberto.santana@uniontrib.com
The final report of the Citizens' Task Force on Chargers issues is
available online at SignOnSanDiego , the Union-Tribune's Web site, at
www.uniontrib.com.
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