San Diego Chargers Stadium Renovation Initiative
Project Description:
The San Diego Chargers hired M+M to design and execute a city-wide, 4-year communications program and public outreach initiative surrounding the team’s $700 million Qualcomm Stadium Redevelopment proposal, which included plans to demolish and replace the 40-year-old, deteriorating public stadium with a new world-class NFL stadium and surrounding area multi-use commercial and residential facilities. The project presented unique challenges due to the fact that the Chargers’ continued to be a non-contender NFL team with a lengthy losing streak, and both the national and local economies were on the brink of collapsing. Furthermore, the political environment was hostile and the public trust was peaking at its worst due to the city’s mismanagement of public funds and political wrangling.
Program Objectives:
- Create an open environment of transparency and information exchange to gauge public opinion on the Chargers’ Stadium Redevelopment concept
- Disseminate accurate, timely information regarding the Stadium Redevelopment concept to key publics throughout the region
- Gather and report public feedback to assist the Chargers’ in future planning regarding stadium redevelopment
- Create and maintain an environment of multi-level communications systems reaching the following key audiences:
- Local government officials
- Regional appointed officials
- Community groups and civic leaders
- The public-at-large
- Regional media leaders, broadcasters and beat reporters
Results:
All public “Listening Tour” events were designed to reach an attendance level into the thousands, which was achieved. The “Listening Tour” was broadly reported on by all broadcast, electronic, and print media. We gathered thousands of “feedback” cards, documented results, and tracked public opinion trends and effectively engaged the public who wanted to be heard on this initiative.