Hey Falcons fans, don't fall for this crap from Arthur Blank! I'm a transplant Charger fan living in metro Atlanta for the past 7.5 years. The Chargers ownership has used the same threats since about 2000. In order for any team to move to LA's proposed venue (Farmers Field), the owner of said team would have to give up a significant stake in the ownership. Do you actually see Blank giving up a large stake in the Falcons? I don't.

The San Diego Chargers actually need a new stadium. It was built a year before I was born in 1967 and it is a piece of crap now. I have had a chance to go inside into the locker rooms. They literally have duct tape holding up pipes; raccoons, skunks and squirrels living inside of it; it's a real $hit hole. The situation has been so controversial out there because many people who are against the measure either are older folks who don't care of football or people who flat out don't care about sports at all. In California, even if you put the measure on the ballot and it passes, it can be held up by lawsuits. It took the Padres about 5-6 years of litigation (many by three individuals who filed a ridiculous number of lawsuits all to be eventually thrown out) before Petco Park was completed.

The Chargers proposed to the city to give them the current land that Qualcomm Stadium currently sits on and let them build a new stadium with hotels, condos and a strip mall. Yes, our parking lot is that big where such a project would be feasable. The city would get to keep the tax revenues from the hotels, etc. Plus the Spanos family who owns the team made their money in construction. Sound somewhat reasonable, but I have been against corporatism. But if the Chargers covered all construction costs, it could work. Another plan was to build it near Petco Park downtown, but I don't see it happening. The city and state are flat broke anyway, so even if they (the city and state governments) wanted to help, they can't.

Here in Atlanta, if I understand it correctly hotel taxes and some of our property taxes pay for that. I don't want to pay for Blank's stadium. Let him build it himself. But again, Falcon fans, don't fall for it. But I'm sure the gutless city council will cave when it is all said and done.

I didn't click the linky, but i assume its a threat to move.

Good one AB! He will be here for a LONG time. He just wants a new stadium.

nice sig tre wells good lord

Total leverage move. Too late but will rant about this tomorrow.

LA has no NFL ready venue to bridge the gap until the Farmers Field is even built. The way the EIR's are done in Cali it won't happen any time soon. The Rams are pulling the same crap in St. Louis.

good lord