The Chargers’ training camps, which have drawn as many as 25,000 fans at Chargers Park over the years, will be closed to the public this year because of a safety issue.
The training camp usually takes place at the team’s Murphy Canyon facility, which was damaged in February by a drainage pipe that burst, creating a 40-feet deep, 30-feet wide sinkhole, reported the San Diego Union-Tribune. Although the sinkhole has been filled, there is still no guarantee the ground along it or around it is safe.
“[Attending training camp] is important to some people, and we understand that.... We tried to come up with a solution that made sense,” the Chargers chief operating officer, Jim Steeg, told the paper.
Replacing the training camp this year will be three public workouts, to be held at Qualcomm Stadium on Aug. 5, Aug. 8 and Aug. 12.
Meanwhile, the replacement of several hundred yards of pipe and sleeving will be done at night so that it doesn't interfere with the team’s practice, according to the paper. The overall cleanup may take as long as a few months.
