The city of San Diego said it collected about $1 million in a settlement of litigation stemming from claims of lost revenue after the city moved a 2003 Charger home game from Qualcomm Stadium to Phoenix after the Cedar fires.
City Attorney Michael Aguirre said the city decided that the fires that preceded the Monday night game on Oct. 27, 2003 produced so much ash in the air it would jeopardize the health of fans and players, and moved the event to Phoenix.
A hired sports consultant, Barrett Sports Group, determined the city lost an estimated $550,000 in revenue due to the decision, and submitted claims to its insurer, Lexington Insurance, a division of American International Group.
While some of the claims were paid, the insurer denied the claims of lost revenue, Aguirre said.
The city filed suit in 2006 in San Diego Superior Court. The suit was moved to the federal courts the following year.
Lexington’s settlement was for $1.625 million, with about $600,000 of that sum paid to the city’s contracted legal firm, Levine Steinberg Miller and Huver.
, Mike Allen
