Corey Washington:
Staff Writer
A rendering of the proposed Los Angeles Stadium of Carson
The Signal Hill City Council considered backing the Los Angeles Stadium in Carson on May 5 following a discussion on the economic impact the stadium would have on the city. Signal Hill’s proximity to Carson and location near the 405 Freeway could draw more visitors. The stadium could also potentially bring more job opportunities for Signal Hill residents. After their discussion, the city council unanimously voted to adopt a resolution supporting efforts to build a stadium in Carson. If developed, the stadium is anticipated to be the new home of the Oakland Raiders and/or the San Diego Chargers.
Jim Dear, former mayor of Carson, said he had been involved in the stadium discussions early on when the idea was floated around. Dear is also chairman of the Carson Successor Agency, the replacement for the Carson Redevelopment Agency. Dear stepped down as mayor in March following his election as the new city clerk.
“We welcome and appreciate the support [of Signal Hill],” Dear said. “We know that the economic vitality of our community has a beneficial overflow to Signal Hill, Long Beach, Lakewood and other communities surrounding Carson, and I think that’s why communities like Signal Hill that are supporting us with resolutions are very appropriate and appreciated.”
As a one-time development, the proposed stadium would create 16,740 jobs annually and generate $118 million in state and local taxes, of which $32.3 million would be earned by Los Angeles County and $14.8 million earned by cities, according to a report by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. The annual impact would be 7,560 jobs and $33.2 million in state and local taxes if the stadium hosts one team, and 13,380 jobs and $60 million in state and local taxes if it hosts two teams, according to the report, which was compiled by the Institute for Applied Economics in Los Angeles.
The Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers, two separate NFL franchises, issued a joint statement on Feb. 19 expressing interest in building a shared stadium in Carson. The 70,000-seat stadium would be developed on a 168-acre site on unoccupied land at Del Amo Boulevard next to the 405 Freeway. The stadium would later expand to 75,000 seats. The project would accommodate 18,000 to 20,000 parking spaces on and off the site of the stadium.
Dear noted that Signal Hill is a very short distance from Carson, which would be evident if the stadium is built.
“Signal Hill has some really good restaurants [and] places to shop, and if you go to the top of the hill where you have a view of Carson, you’ll be able to see the stadium,” Dear said. “Signal Hill has that hilltop vantage point. The stadium would rise up right in front of the people of Signal Hill when looking west.”
Signal Hill City Manager Ken Farfsing acknowledged there is excitement over the prospect of the Los Angeles Stadium in Carson and said there would be more benefits than the economic impact to local cities.
“I know there are a lot of Chargers and Raiders fans and people that would like to see the NFL come back to Southern California,” Farfsing said. “There are others that recognize there will be cultural events there like concerts. They won’t have to drive far away. ! To have that type of major events venue in the area is huge.”
