Judge Voids Suit on Proposed Ballpark

A judge on Monday dismissed the only lawsuit pending before a trial court against the planned downtown ballpark for the San Diego Padres.

City officials said they plan to contact the city’s bond counsel to sell $170 million in bonds that are necessary to pay for the city’s share of the project. The counsel has said the bonds could not be sold until the final suit is resolved.

Two other lawsuits--which the city and Padres won in Superior Court--are on appeal, but the bond counsel has said he would not thwart the sale.

Superior Court Judge Frederic Link dismissed a lawsuit charging that the city should be required to hold a public vote on the project because the details have changed since voters approved it by 60% in 1998.