Approval of a pair of proposed contracts designed to end a long-running dispute over providing security at Qualcomm Stadium was postponed today by members of the City Council's Budget Committee, who expressed irritation over a lack of information about the deals.
The proposed three-year agreements would have San Diego-based Elite Show Services provide round-the-clock patrols at the facility in Mission Valley and security at Chargers games, with StaffPro Inc. of Orange County working other events inside the stadium, including San Diego State football contests, two college bowl games and soccer matches.
When Elite Show Services was awarded a multi-year deal in 2010, StaffPro appealed to an ad hoc committee of city executives on grounds of bias and won. Security at the stadium in Mission Valley has since been handled via interim contracts while a new agreement was stitched together.
Elite CEO John Kontopuls told committee members that splitting the contracts was an "nexplicable'' action by the city.
Kontopuls said his firm was rated the best in its kind by the National Football League, and that city officials stressed the importance of having just one security contract during the 2010 bidding process.
Stadium Manager Mike McSweeney told committee members he would prefer to deal with just one company.
Committee Chairman Todd Gloria said the way the contract was brought to the council was "disappointing,'' and noted that representatives of StaffPro did not attend.
The interim contracts expire on Dec. 31, but stadium officials said enough money runs in the budget to keep security at the facility through the middle of January.
The item was rescheduled for the Budget Committee meeting on Jan. 16. The full City Council would need to give the contracts final approval.
