SDStadium.org Blog

Oceanside is Back on the List

By Jason Riggs 

Oceanside has re-emerged with a prospective site for the Chargers to build a new stadium in San Diego County.  

As with any new idea related to a new stadium, a number of questions arise as to the site's viability, economic feasibility and generally how much fuel is really in the tank.

The site proposed is the old Valley Drive-In movie theater. It's a nice piece of property just three miles East of I-5 on the northern corridor of the 76. It's also a lot closer to the Chargers Season Ticket fanbase and the lucrative NFL-starved markets of Orange County and Los Angeles.

The proposed plan is being driven by Thomas Enterprises (a credible Developer) which has already been approved to build a 92-acre shopping center in the region. So, there must be an EIR filed away somewhere that supports very large scale development of this property.

Everything looks like a giant green light, right? Nope.

These things are always more complex than they appear on the surface. There are so many details filled with so many devils that sometimes it's hard to even wrap your head around it all.

The comments by the City Council in a recent North County Times article indicate tepid approval tempered with the usual "Taxpayer Super Hero" bravado that typically accompanies any politician talking about anything stadium related.

Additionally, there are still concerns over the site's feasibility as it pertains to the Chargers plan for funding a new stadium. Can they lure enough of the right revenue into the Northwest corner of the County? After looking at the Goat Hill property just a few miles away, the answer was "No." However, the Drive-In site comes with a lot fewer flags than the Goat Hill site including a better parcel of land, a pre-approved large-scale development plan and a credible Developer in discussion with the Chargers.

So while, Oceanside might be at the opposite end of the County in relation to Chula Vista, at this moment, it appears a lot closer to providing a viable option for keeping the Chargers in San Diego County.

But stay tuned stadium followers. There are other ideas that are "not ready for prime time" yet and those might produce even more attractive or feasible possibilities for getting a new stadium built in San Diego County.

Regardless, the fact that the stadium issue is making headlines and smart people are collaborating to bring fresh ideas to the table should make everybody take heart. For each new option presents new hope that a stadium will be built in the County.

Join the San Diego Stadium Coalition to stay informed and learn more about what you can do to help.