New Permanent Quarters : OK Seen for Charger Training Site at UCSD

The San Diego Chargers football team and UC San Diego are expected to be given approval today to construct a permanent training facility on the La Jolla campus, after 10 years of using rented trailers for the team’s summer camp.

Final arrangements for the joint-use facility will be negotiated within the month if approval is given as expected at the UC Board of Regents meeting in Los Angeles, campus officials said. A completed agreement will probably go into effect early next year and construction will be finished a year from now, they said.

Officials from UCSD and the Chargers said they envision a 13,000-square-foot training facility to be built by the team for about $1 million. It will include lockers and showers for men and women, a physical therapy room, a weight training room, storage space and a laundry.

15-Year Exclusive Agreement for Team

In exchange, UCSD will grant the Chargers a 15-year exclusive use for the six-week summer training camp session, as well as use of two nearby playing fields, dormitories, a cafeteria, classrooms, meeting rooms and office space. The university will charge rent for campus services and buildings, but levy only a $1 charge for operation of the camp itself.

UCSD will use the facility the rest of the calendar year as part of a new North Campus recreation area that UCSD is developing. When completed, the area north of the San Diego Supercomputer Center will also contain a nine-lane, all-weather track, and two fields for soccer and softball. The area will also be the permanent home of the UCSD Human Performance Testing Facility, which is used for research on stress, exercise therapy and heart disease.

Discussions with the Chargers regarding the joint-use training facility began after the university drew up plans for the recreation area.