The stadium, if built, would be in Chula Vista.
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber said his league needs more teams. The league is still seeking a 30th franchise with San Diego and Las Vegas in the running. San Diego became a viable option for a simple reason, there is a stadium in the city that can be used for soccer. Las Vegas needs a stadium. San Diego has just one Major League team, Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres franchise so in theory there can be some corporate money available for an additional sports franchise. The National Football League’s San Diego Chargers ownership abandoned the city following the 2016 season after the team owners, the Spanos family, could not get a football stadium built locally. In 2016, San Diego voters said no to funding a soccer stadium at the site of the city’s stadium that once housed the baseball Padres and the NFL’s Chargers. San Diego State University built a smaller stadium on the site and there was some campus expansion nearby.
The San Diego State University stadium could be used for soccer. But another San Diego suitor may be emerging. In Chula Vista, which is about 10 miles south of San Diego, there is a proposal to build a stadium-village with a 50,000-seat soccer facility as the centerpiece of the development. Petra Development would like to build a sports complex and entertainment center. The proposal includes a Major League Soccer stadium. The CEO and Managing Member of Petra Development Group, Frederick McDonald said “the ideal partner would be MLS”, the investment group will continue discussions with other sports organizations leaders while it determines its next steps.” McDonald did not say who the other organizations are or how the stadium-village would be funded.
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