Dive Brief:
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San Diego ballot Measure C, which would have initiated a tax hike to clear the way for a new Chargers stadium, failed to reach the two-thirds support necessary among voters Tuesday, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
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Only 41% of voters approved the 4% hotel tax increase — from 12.5% to 16.5% — that would have been used to help fund the new NFL stadium.
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Measure C was a crucial component of the Chargers plan to stay in San Diego, as the team must now decide whether it will attempt another option with the city or move to Los Angeles.
Dive Insight:
Voters' rejection of Measure C deals a significant blow to the Chargers' chances of staying in San Diego. The team has been open about its plans to either build a new facility or relocate. NFL owners approved the Chargers' bid to move to Los Angeles earlier this year, and the team has until January to decide whether it will stay in San Diego or move.
The team's most recent proposal, which was contingent on the city funding deal, included a $1.8 billion stadium and convention center in downtown San Diego, with a tentative opening date of 2022 for the $1 billion stadium component. The deal would have required the Chargers to agree to a 30-year lease and pay for any stadium cost overruns. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer came out in support of the funding deal and ballot measure last month.
If the Chargers move to Los Angeles — which is now more likely after voters rejected Measure C — they would share the new $3 billion Rams stadium in Inglewood, CA. Rams owner Stan Kroenke's plan, designed by architecture firm HKS and estimated to be complete in 2019, would be the most expensive stadium of any sport, according to The New York Times.
