San Diego Voters Reject SoccerCity Initiative For Mission Valley

UPDATED: 11:59 a.m., Nov. 12, 2018

With all precincts reporting in San Diego County, Measure E, also known as SoccerCity, was soundly rejected by voters.

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With 67 percent of precincts reporting, a La Jolla-based investment group's hopes to transform San Diego’s Mission Valley stadium property into an urban village that’s centered around a professional soccer team, SoccerCity, appeared headed toward failure.

Measure E was one of two competing ideas on how to redevelop the Mission Valley stadium site.

After months of private discussions between FS Investors, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and San Diego State University officials, the multibillion-dollar redevelopment project was in play. But San Diego State University pulled out of the talks by summer

Soccer is the focal point of Measure E which seeks to create a sports and entertainment district in Mission Valley.

The SoccerCity redevelopment plan calls for a new multisports stadium that would seat between 24,000 and 34,000 fans. The facility could also host the SDSU Aztec football team.

A soccer stadium is a requirement to land a Major League Soccer team and the current Mission Valley facility is too big and too old.

The redevelopment calls for tearing down the existing stadium and a push to have a new multisport stadium built quickly. And that’s important because there are still two MLS expansion franchises available.

“Not only is the sport great. It’s the first time that somebody has come forward with a proposal for that site, that adds sport, that doesn’t cost the taxpayers anything and that is such a rare distinction relative to what people are used to,” said Nick Stone, SoccerCity investor and spokesman.

Measure E backers propose paying for the new facility by developing the rest of the site and the old Chargers Park just off Interstate 15 just north of the stadium.

The plan calls for construction of 4,800 homes with a certain percentage meeting the city’s affordable housing guidelines. There is also retail, commercial and office space.

In addition, the plan has money for a river park, room for a hotel and even land set aside if an NFL team wants a stadium site within five years.

The measure is competing against Measure G, known as SDSU West. Both measures need to get more than 50 percent of the vote. If both pass that threshold, the one with the most votes wins. If neither measure gets 50 percent, the issue will be decided by the San Diego City Council.