Chargers sign 10-year training camp deal with Costa Mesa
By Joel Garcia
The Los Angeles Chargers confirmed that they will be holding training camp in Costa Mesa, Ca., after receiving unanimous approval from the city.
Welcome to Costa Mesa @Chargers. Looking forward to watching practices this summer at Jack Hammett Sports Complex.https://t.co/666uGTaUlT pic.twitter.com/UvvgsD0mPn
— City of Costa Mesa (@CityofCostaMesa) March 22, 2017
Costa Mesa is located in Orange County, about 37 miles southeast of Los Angeles and 88 miles north of San Diego. Costa Mesa is about 30 miles from Carson, where the team will be playing for two years before moving up north a tad to join the Rams in Inglewood in 2019.
The team confirmed that they will be renting the Jack Hammett Sports Complex for $150,000 per year. The training facility is just a few blocks north of the Orange County Fairgrounds and near the 405 Freeway.
Training camp will begin in July and run through August. The team will be holding training camp there for the next 10 years.
In preparation for their inaugural season in Los Angeles, the team is making improvements to their temporary home at the StubHub Center in order to expand capacity. Likewise, the team will need to prepare the Jack Hammet Sports Complex for training camp. The costs of improvements to the training facility are estimated to be approximately $1 million.
Hard Knocks?
Personally, I am still hoping HBO features the Chargers training camp in their upcoming season of Hard Knocks. That may be a tough sell, as the team isn’t “officially” eligible, per NFL and HBO requirements.
No offense to Browns fans, who’s team currently seem to be the favorites to be featured this year, but this seems like a better ratings opportunity for the 2017 edition of the show. After all, L.A. is the second-biggest media market. Although the Rams were the focus on Hard Knocks last year, showcasing the Chargers seems like a good fit for the show.
Angelinos and San Diego fans, are you planning on dropping by and watching the Chargers training camp? The team will have meet-and-greet sessions with players and other staff members after sessions.