Stadium ballot defeat puts San Diego Chargers' future in doubt

SAN DIEGO - Voters have overwhelmingly rejected a measure that would have raised $1.15 billion from increased hotel occupancy taxes to help pay for a new stadium for the San Diego Chargers.

Measure C, which was written by the Chargers without input from City Hall, the powerful tourism industry or other stakeholders, was defeated 57 percent to 43 percent. It needed 66.7 percent to pass.

Team chairman Dean Spanos, whose attempt to move the Chargers to the Los Angeles suburb of Carson angered fans and was rebuffed by fellow NFL owners in January, said in a statement Wednesday that he will consider his options. He said a decision won’t be announced until after the season “and no decision will be made in haste.”

CBS San Diego affiliate KFMB-TV reports that Spanos, in a message to Chargers fans early Wednesday, thanked everyone who supported the measure, and said the team’s future hasn’t yet been decided.

“In terms of what comes next for the Chargers, it’s just too early to give you an answer,” Spanos said. “We are going to diligently explore and weigh our options, and do what is needed to maintain our options, but no decision will be announced until after the football season concludes and no decision will be made in haste.”

Measure C would have increased the hotel tax to help pay for a $1.8 billion stadium and convention center annex in the southeast corner of downtown near Petco Park, the home of MLB’s Padres. The Chargers have been trying since 2000 to replace aging Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley.

Spanos’ options include negotiating with Mayor Kevin Faulconer on a new plan or exercising his option to join the Los Angeles Rams in a stadium scheduled to open in Inglewood in 2019. Spanos earned that concession after fellow owners rejected his attempt to move to Carson and share a stadium with the rival Oakland Raiders.

Spanos has had the right to leave San Diego since 2008, but the team’s long, contentious efforts to replace aging Qualcomm Stadium became more aggressive after Rams owner Stan Kroenke announced plans to build a stadium in Inglewood.

It’s unclear whether downtown remains an option. Spanos’ plan was opposed by the tourism industry, leading civic leaders and an architecture group that panned the size of the project. While saying they want the Chargers to remain in San Diego, the Padres had major concerns with Measure C.

Faulconer endorsed Measure C only a month ago after wrangling what he said were major concessions out of Spanos.