The Chargers and city leaders met today to work on a deal for a new stadium, but these very public people, including team chairman Dean Spanos and special counsel Mark Fabiani, aren’t disclosing a lot about the conversation behind the scenes. NBC 7’s Gene Cubbison has the story.
The first bargaining session in what figures to be extensive negotiations involving the future of professional football in San Diego began at noon Tuesday and ended one hour and fifteen minutes later.
Confirmed attendees in the downtown office tower setting: Mayor Kevin Faulconer, City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, County Supervisor Ron Roberts and the city's negotiating experts, along with Chargers board chairman Dean Spanos and Spanos' special counsel Mark Fabiani.
Spanos offered no comment emerging from the session, before getting into the elevator with Fabiani -- who offered no comment himself.
In a joint statement, Faulconer, Goldsmith and Roberts said, "It was a productive discussion on a variety of issues, and both parties agreed to meet again within the next several days.”
Given the brief time the parties spent together, it would seem Tuesday's meeting merely was the kickoff toward a number of substantive, detail-oriented discussions of the site and financing plan released May 18th by Faulconer's Citizens Stadium Advisory Group.
It's not clear to what extent Spanos, the mayor and city attorney will be present until outside consultants for the team and the city have thoroughly engaged on the project's framework, numbers and construction logistics.
Tony Manolatos, spokesman for Mayor Faulconer's Citizens' Stadium Advisory Group said, "Today was an important step in the right direction."
