Renderings for NFL team San Diego Chargers’ proposed new home have been made available for the first time.
Designed by architects Populous, the futuristic stadium – to be located on a 166-acre plot in San Diego’s Mission Valley – is set to celebrate the city of San Diego, incorporating ocean and harbour influences with a forward-looking green design.
The concept designs show that the venue would offer plenty of public space, landscaped promenades, a “fan experience” park, corporate hospitality offerings, a VIP atrium, multiple sideline and field level clubs, suites and entertainment destinations and a hall of fame.
There’s also a direct connection to existing public transport hubs and the stadium could easily be adapted to host a Super Bowl.
Revealing the new stadium plans form part of the City of San Diego council’s efforts to keep the Chargers in San Diego. The franchise is desperate to move away from the city's ageing Qualcomm Stadium.
As a way to put pressure on the local authority to speed up plans for a new stadium, the owners of the Chargers have purchased land in Carson, in Los Angeles County, in order to build their own stadium if no deal is struck to stay in San Diego.
Carson City Council – which is keen to bring the Chargers over to Los Angeles – has already approved plans for the US$1.86bn (€1.68bn, £1.24bn) stadium.
In a statement in April (2015) the Chargers said the plans to relocate to a 70,000-capacity stadium in Los Angeles followed “unsuccessful searches for new stadiums in their home market”.
The revealing of the Populous plans, however, make it clear that the City of San Diego hasn’t given up on securing the Chargers’ long-term future in the city.
