The National Football League withdrew an invitation to San Diego officials to make a detailed presentation on a Mission Valley stadium proposal at next month's owners meeting, but the mayor's office Tuesday said plans are in the works to meet with an NFL owners' committee.
A similar offer to St. Louis officials, who are trying to keep the Rams from leaving town, was also withdrawn, according to multiple news reports.
Matt Awbrey, a spokesman for San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, told City News Service that the city and county negotiating team continues to have "regular discussions and a positive dialogue" with NFL officials.
"To better allow for an in-depth presentation, the NFL is looking at having hometown cities present to a smaller setting of team owners," Awbrey said. "We look forward to making a more detailed presentation to NFL owners at an upcoming time to update them on San Diego's progress and commitment to keeping the Chargers in San Diego."
In an email to the Mighty 1090 sports radio station in San Diego, NFL Executive Vice President Eric Grubman said some owners indicated that they'd want to have some detailed give-and-take with the presenters.
"That kind of dialogue usually doesn't happen at league meetings when there are outside presenters, and particularly when we have a full agenda," Grubman said. "We discussed it with the LA Committee and it was decided that we would figure out a better arrangement for any next presentations."
The Chargers have been trying to get a new stadium for 15 years, and have turned their sights to Carson, in Los Angeles County, where they could build a stadium in partnership with the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders also want a new stadium.
Rams owner Stan Kroenke, meanwhile, is working to develop a stadium in Inglewood, near Los Angeles International Airport.
NFL owners will have to decide late this year or early next year which, if any, of the three franchises will be allowed to move.
Last week, San Diego officials and the Chargers missed a deadline for reaching a stadium agreement in time to put a measure on the ballot for a January special election. The two sides haven't conducted negotiations since June over team objections about how the city was conducting an environmental study of the Mission Valley site.
The San Diego negotiating team, instead, took its case directly to the NFL. Faulconer said a stadium agreement could still go on the ballot in the June primary or November general election.
