When the NFL's Chargers decided to leave San Diego, they also left Qualcomm Stadium empty in the city's Mission Valley neighborhood. Now, FS Investors has unveiled some very grand plans for what they want to do with the huge site surrounding it.

Going by the name "SoccerCity," plans would take the mostly-undeveloped and now-unused property and turn it into a mixed-use, transit-oriented development. Eventually, it would include 4,800 new homes, over three million square feet of office and retail space, 55 acres of parks, two hotels, and two stadiums, just to name a few features.

There's also plans for 1,300 student and low-income housing residences and three residential high-rises, all connected to the city via a second trolley line and station. Surrounding all of this would be plazas, promenades, and bike paths.

FS Investors/Gensler

The proposal calls for FS Investors to lease 80 acres of the site and then purchase it in phases based on the city's appraisals of land value. Some estimates have ballparked values from $300,000 to $3,000,000, depending on whether or not the specific parcel is already developed.

The goal of the project, beyond creating a new mixed-use neighborhood, is to attract a Major League Soccer franchise with a 22,000-capacity soccer stadium. If that doesn't work out, they could build a new San Diego State football stadium at 32,000-capacity with the ability to expand to 40,000.

Gensler

The proposal will be presented as a ballot initiative to San Diego voters. It will require 72,000 voter signatures in order to submit the initiative to the city. Then, the city council would be asked to approve the plan quickly so that FS Investors can meet the MLS deadline for new franchise approvals this year.

The plan also sets aside 16 acres for a potential new NFL stadium if a new owner or the NFL wants a new franchise to San Diego. They would only have five years from the time of project approval to buy or lease the property and the owners would be responsible for building their own stadium. If that doesn’t happen, the site could be repurposed as more housing or retail space.

Gensler

Plenty more details and issues need to be ironed out before SoccerCity can become a reality, but San Diego is attempting to turn their own loss into a huge gain. We’ll wait to see if it comes to fruition.

Sources:

SoccerCity plan: 4,800 homes, 2 stadiums, parks and commercial space at Q site [SDUT]

Four Ways the Chargers' Move to Los Angeles Will Impact Real Estate [Neighborhoods.com]

As Major League Soccer Expands, These Neighborhoods Could Reap the Benefits [Neighborhoods.com]

Which California Neighborhood Could Win the Raiders Sweepstakes? [Neighborhoods.com]