San Diego’s term sheet for a new Chargers stadium recently underwent a threshold review at 345 Park Avenue in New York, headquarters of the National Football League.
NFL executives Jay Bauman and Chris Hardart addressed their impressions of the 24-page “confidential draft” to Chris Melvin, the New York attorney who heads the negotiating team retained by the city and county.
Bauman and Hardart were members of the league’s traveling squad on last month’s listening tour of fans in the “home cities” – San Diego, Oakland and St. Louis – that one day may no longer be home to NFL franchises.
Reading between the lines of their two-page letter to Melvin, it seems the league harbors no shortage of concerns about the Mission Valley project, and how it might be viewed by the league’s 31 owners besides San Diego’s Dean Spanos.
Indeed, before elaborating on four major points, they spelled this out: “Please note that the following is not intended to be a comprehensive list of comments and observations.”
A response on behalf of Mayor Faulconer to the issues they raised is still pending, but early indications are that the process of reaching an eye-to-eye, same-page outcome would take some time to unfold.
Meanwhile, NFL observers say the league soon may be inclined to “punt” L.A. franchise relocations decisions into late next year.
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But slowing down the speed of the game figures to prolong the angst that’s rife among fan bases and public officials in the three cities whose teams are itching for greener pastures.
The NFL’s game is hardball, and it’s played for keeps – at whatever cost the losers might bear.
Read the full term sheet and letter below.
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Chris Melvin Letter 111015 (Text)
