In an expected administrative move, the San Diego City Council on Monday approved a lease extension for San Diego State football at the former Qualcomm Stadium through 2020. The extension removes uncertainty for the university’s athletic department and for the Alliance of American Football, the new pro football league planning to play home games at San Diego’s former NFL venue in Spring 2019.
The motion to extend SDSU’s lease passed 6-1, with Mission Valley council member Scott Sherman (R-SoccerCity) the lone dissenting vote with two council members absent. Aside from Sherm’s usual water-carrying there did not appear to be much pushback from SoccerCity.
SDSU brought a cadre of red and black-clad supporters to fill the council chambers and big guns to speak in support of the lease, including Mayor Kevin Faulconer (SDSU alum), Adela de la Torre (SDSU President) and Rocky Long (SDSU immortal). One can only imagine it was demoralizing for the Stone not-brothers of FS Investors to see the mayor with whom they quietly schemed for so many months urging the council to approve a stabilizing lease agreement for their opposition.
Council member Mark Kersey won a concession from SDSU for a “re-opener clause” before he sided with the majority in approving the lease extension.
Until advised otherwise I’m regarding this amendment as a fig leaf allowing Kersey to say he played hardball. My guess is it doesn’t do much more than say the City and SDSU can sit down and talk after November.
All in all, a good day for San Diego State football and the unkillable yet much-maligned Concrete Tombstone.
Let that be a lesson to those who would predict its demise: Never send to know for whom the unkillable concrete edifice tolls. It tolls for thee. At least through 2020.
KABEER THIRTY 