Chargers collect 110,000 signatures for stadium initiative

The San Diego Chargers' attempts to get a new stadium built in San Diego got a boost Friday when 110,786 signatures were delivered to the city to qualify the team's Citizens' Initiative for inclusion on a ballot this fall.

The Chargers needed to get a little over 66,000 signatures from registered voters in San Diego to put a measure on the ballot calling for a 6.5 percent increase in hotel taxes to fund a $1.15-billion subsidy for a new stadium. The tax raise will be put to a public vote in November.

"On behalf of the entire San Diego Chargers organization, we want to thank every registered San Diego city voter who signed the petition," Chargers chairman Dean Spanos said in a statement issued by the team.

"Most signature gathering efforts of this kind take six full months. We had just six weeks to complete our work," Spanos added. "The fact that we were able to collect more than 110,000 signatures in that short period of time demonstrates tremendous support in our community for a new, combined stadium-convention center expansion downtown."

The signatures still have to be verified.