Court to Rule Whether to Halt Construction at Super Bowl Site

A judge today is set to decide whether to halt construction at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, a decision that could force the 1998 Super Bowl and the 1997 Charger season to be shifted to the Rose Bowl.

With last-minute negotiations failing Wednesday to produce a settlement, Superior Court Judge Anthony Joseph will rule on a request by attorneys for former City Council member Bruce Henderson to declare that city officials violated the law by beginning the construction only hours after the Dec. 30 Holiday Bowl.

The construction, meant to add sky boxes, more restrooms, two video scoreboards and 10,000 seats, is about a third completed. But the NFL and Charger ownership have warned that any delay could force them to move their events to the Rose Bowl.

The decision by Joseph comes after weeks of acrimonious dispute between expansion backers, including Mayor Susan Golding, and expansion opponents. The former assert that the city’s economic future and international image are at stake if construction is halted, and opponents insist that the city did a poor job in negotiating a contract with the Chargers.