Three weeks before competing ballot measures go head-to-head to redevelop the Mission Valley stadium site, a majority of San Diegans said they’re voting yes on Measure G and no on Measure E in a new SurveyUSA poll commissioned by the Union-Tribune and 10News.

Measure G, the SDSU West Initiative, would have the city sell 132 acres of land to San Diego State University. Some 57 percent of respondents said they are in favor of the measure; 26 percent said they were against it and 17 percent are unsure of where they stand.

That compares to 32 percent of locals who said they supported Measure E, the SoccerCity initiative that would have the city lease 233 acres at the stadium site and 20 acres at the Chargers’ former Murphy Canyon facility to investment firm FS Investors. Some 48 percent of respondents said they were against the measure and 20 percent are still undecided.


The poll surveyed 618 likely city of San Diego voters between Oct. 7 and Oct. 10. The margin of error is plus or minus five percentage points on the voting questions.


In the upcoming Nov. 6 election, city voters can vote yes on both, no on both, or yes on one and no on the other. If both initiatives receive more than 50 percent of the vote, the measure with the most votes will prevail. If neither passes the threshold, the city would likely solicit proposals for redevelopment of the site.

The poll suggests that SDSU West, a ballot measure put forth by a group of university boosters and not the university itself, has a higher likelihood of succeeding in the election. Thirty-three percent of Measure G supporters identified the prospect of a campus expansion as the primary reason for their approval. A football stadium for the Aztecs was the second highest reason selected with 25 percent of yes voters picking it as the top reason for their support.

Based on a demographic analysis, Measure G has majority support among men and women; all age groups; whites, Latinos and Asians; Republicans, Democrats and Independents; high-school educated and college educated; and across all income classes.

Meanwhile, 37 percent of those who support Measure E said they did so because of the prospect of a new soccer stadium for the Major League Soccer franchise that FS Investors hopes to secure. Another 15 percent picked a football stadium for San Diego State as the No. 1 reason for their support of SoccerCity. Measure E allows for a soccer-only stadium or a joint-use soccer and collegiate football stadium, though the university and the investor group are not in partnership.


Measure E has majority support among 18 to 34 year-olds, 58 percent of whom said they were voting in favor of the initiative. There is no majority support in other demographic subgroups, including race, party affiliation, education and income.

Overall, surveyed voters reported a high level of confidence in their comprehension of both ballot measures. Some 86 percent and 88 percent said they at least somewhat understood Measure E and Measure G, respectively.


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jennifer.vangrove@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1840 Twitter: @jbruin