As ticket sales and attendance have continued to decline, San Diego State football games at Qualcomm Stadium have cost city taxpayers more than $310,000 in losses the past two years, according to stadium officials.
Now the city wants SDSU to help make ends meet in the future – a point that has led to a hang-up in negotiations for a new lease between the Aztecs and the city.
SDSU's previous lease to play at the city-owned stadium expired after the 2007 season. With the new season set to start Aug. 30 against Cal Poly, it's not likely that a new five-year lease will be ready in time. But the games will go on as scheduled, possibly under terms of the old lease until a deal is struck.
“The best way to put it is we just want to break even,” stadium manager Mike McSweeney said.
More negotiations were scheduled for this week. SDSU Associate Vice President Bob Schulz has been handling the negotiations for the Aztecs. He did not immediately return a call seeking comment yesterday.
In 2006, stadium operating expenses for SDSU football cost city taxpayers $124,869 more than the city earned in rent from the school, including an estimated $93,000 in police and fire expenses, according to a report by former stadium manager Erik Stover. Last year, McSweeney said, the loss was about $187,000. Average actual attendance at SDSU football games has dived from 28,336 in 2004 to 17,868 last year.
SDSU's previous lease called for the city to receive 8 percent of total gross game revenue, including tickets, parking and concessions. The lease ensures the city gets at least $50,000 per game. If 8 percent of the total gross does not reach $50,000, the city would take the balance out of parking and concessions. Because of poor attendance, SDSU has paid the city no more than the minimum rent for all but a few of its past 23 home games. In 2004, the minimum was $40,000 a game.
Brent Schrotenboer: (619) 293-1368; brent.schrotenboer@uniontrib.com
