>> >>JOANNE: HE HAS SAT MOST RECENTLY HELPED NEGOTIATE THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.
STEVE CUSHMAN IS THE INSIDER. HE JOINS ME NOW TO TALK ABOUT HIS DECISION
FOR A NEW CHARGERS STADIUM. YOU JUST FINISHED WORKER FOR THE PAST THREE
YEARS MARY SANDERS NEGOTIATING A NEW BIGGER CONVENTION CENTER.
THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT BUILDING A NEW CHARGERS STADIUM DOWNTOWN, BUT I THINK YOU'RE IN THE
POSITION TOÊ IS THERE SOMETHING BETTER? >> >>STEVE CUSHMAN: IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ON
THE TENTH AVENUE MARINE TERMINAL. THERE IS A SITE ACROSS THE STREET WE LOOKED
AT FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT COULD BE THAT DOWNTOWN SITE.
THE ADVANTAGE OF DOWNTOWN IS THERE'S LOTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE, THE TROLLEY IS THERE, THERE'S
LOTS OF PARKING, DOWNTOWN COULD WORK. EVERY SITE HAS ITS LIMITATIONS, THERE'S A
BUS TERMINAL THERE NOW, SO WE'D HAVE TO CLEAN TUP, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE POTENTIAL SITES
>> >>JOANNE: YOU MENTIONED THE TENTH AVENUE MARINE TERMINAL.
DOUG MANCHESTER IS A HOTEL DEVELOPER, OWNER OF THE NEWSPAPER, PUSHING FOR TENTH AVENUE
MARINE TERMINAL. I WAS AT A BREAKFAST MEETING WHERE HE WAS
A GUEST SPEAKER AT SDSU. HE SAID I THINK RE DEVELOPING QUALCOMM IS
A BETTER IDEA. THAT'S AN IDEA THAT APPEALS TO YOU, ISN'T
IT? >> >>: IT DOES.
DOUG AND I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND THIS SOLUTION I THINK HAS SOME LEGS.
WHETHER THE FIGURE'S 200ÊMILLION, A HUNDRED MILLION, 400ÊMILLION, I DON'T THINK ANY OF
US KNOW. I THINK WHAT IT DOES BRING UP, THOUGH, IS
THAT THE SOLUTION SHOULD BE ON THE TABLE. WE CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT THE CHARGERS TO LEAVE.
DEAN SPANOS AND HIS FAMILY HAVE SPENT OVER $10ÊMILLION IN 10 YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN WONDERFUL
PUBLIC CITIZENS. IF WE DON'T COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, I AM
VERY CONCERNED THEY'RE GOING TO LEAVE SAN DIEGO.
SO I THINK QUALCOMM SHOULD BE ON THE TABLE. I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HIRE A FIRM SUCH
AS WE HIRED FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION OUT OF ARIZONA WHO HAS A DECISION THAT DOES
THIS TYPE OF ANALYSIS. I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS AREA, THIS SOLUTION COULD BE THE ANSWER BECAUSE YOU REALIZE
THIS IS A PIECE OF PROPERTY TODAY THAT'S COSTING THE CITY MONEY EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
I THINK IT'S A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT COULD BRING LOTS OF INCOME TO THE CITY IF WE PUT
IN APARTMENTS AND RETAIL AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW STADIUM.
I THINK IT COULD BE A WONDERFUL ISSUE FOR US.
>> >>: WOULD YOU WORK WITH DOUG MANCHESTER ON A PROPOSAL LIKE THIS?
>> >>: I'D LOVE TO. DOUG AND I HAVE WORKED ON A LOT OF THINGS
OVER THE YEARS, SOMETIMES TOGETHER, SOMETIMES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE TABLE, BUT I HAVE
TREMENDOUS RESPECT FOR DOUG. AND IF THERE'S ANYBODY WHO COULD DO IT, THEY'RE
WONDERFUL PEOPLE THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THIS AS YOU KNOW PERRY DEALY, CHARLES
BLACK A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO DID A STUDY ON QUALCOMM.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE BACK ON THE TABLE. >> >>: I KNOW YOU ALSO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE SPANOS FAMILY. YOU SAID I WOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT A NEW
STADIUM UNLESS I KNEW THEY WANTED TO STAY SAN DIEGO.
YOU SAID YOU FELL ASSURED THEY DID. HAVE YOU HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM RECENTLY
ABOUT THIS? >> >>: I HAD NOT RECENTLY HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS
WITH DEAN SPANOS. IN 2007 I SERVED ON THE PORT COMMISSION.
AT THAT TIME WE HAD 550 ACRES STILL THERE IN CHULA VISTA, IT WAS SOMETHING THE TEAM
WAS INTERESTED IN, WE DID SOME STUDY AT THE TIME.
WE LOOKED AT NATIONAL CITY, THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT.
BUT I STILL FEEL THAT CHULA VISTA IS ALSO A VIABLE SITE IF IN FACT THE CHARGERS WANTED
TO LOOK AT IT. THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN 2007,
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON IT. IT DIDN'T WORK AT THAT TIME.
BUT I THINK NO REASON IT TOO COULDN'T BE ON THE TABLE.
>> >>: BOB FILNER HAS SAID I'M GOING TO BE THE TOUGHEST NEGOTIATOR WHEN IT COMES TO A
NEW STADIUM AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SPEND ANY PUBLIC MONEY.
COULD YOU ENVISION BUILDING QUALCOMM WITHOUT TAX PAYER FUNDS?
>> >>: I BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLE, ONE POTENTIAL SOLUTION IF IN FACT THE CITY IS NOW LOSING
MONEY ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY, IF IN FACT THERE WAS NO RENT THAT THE DEVELOPER HAD TO
PAY, IF IN FACT THE NFL WOULD PUT UP SOME MONEY FOR THE PROCESS, IF IN FACT YOU COULD
BUILD APARTMENTS AND RETAIL, I THINK IT COULD BE DONE WITHOUT PUBLIC SUBSIDY.
>> >>: WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME. COMING OFF SUCH A BAD SEASON, NO HEAD COACH,
NO GENERAL MANAGER, DO YOU THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE PUBLIC SUPPORT BEHIND A NEW STADIUM
AT ALL? >> >>: UNFORTUNATE LAY SPORTS THERE ARE GOOD
DAYS AND BAD DAYS. IT WAS A TOUGH YEAR, I HAVE NO HESITATION
PAYING FOR MY SEASON TICKETS NEXT YEAR, I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE LATE.
WE ALWAYS SAY IT'S A Y A REBUILDING YEAR. WE'RE ALL ENTHUSED ABOUT THE CHARGERS, WE
HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS ROUGH PATCH BUT I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A WINNER FOR US.