He called the journey “incredible” and “a crescendo,” with the Chargers ’ move into their new facility now at the finish line. The march to El Segundo, however, cannot be described using anything close to the word “swift.” “I was talking to some of the players,” Fred Maas said, “and I realized that when I started this, Joe Alt was 13.
” Alt today is the Chargers’ starting right tackle, the rookie entering the NFL in April as the No. 5 overall pick in the draft. Maas, the team’s chief of staff, began the extensive search for a new home about the time the Chargers announced their relocation from San Diego in early 2017.
They eventually settled on 14 acres minutes from LAX, broke ground in May of 2022 and officially opened last month after seven seasons at a temporary headquarters in Costa Mesa. “In terms of arrival moments in L.A.
, I think it was a huge step when we moved from Dignity (Health Sports Park) to SoFi (Stadium, in 2020),” Maas said. “This feels like the icing on the cake.” The next stage comes when Chargers rookies report for training camp Tuesday, followed by the quarterbacks.
The full team is set to open practice July 24 on the facility’s three natural-grass fields. While there might be a sense of completion, the Chargers’ move remains very much in motion as new issues — missing electrical outlets, improperly matched TV brackets, failing refrigeration units — pop up daily. “Generally speaking, 80% of the problems come in .
