From the Archives: Mission Valley stadium construction began with a bang in 1965

On this day in 1965, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a multi-purpose stadium for San Diego in Mission Valley. The stadium opened in August 1967 and operated under a variety of names — San Diego Stadium, Jack Murphy Stadium, Qualcomm and SDCCU Stadium — for half a century. It closed in March 2020. Demolition now begun and a new San Diego State football stadium is going up at the site.

From The San Diego Union, Sunday, Dec. 19, 1965:

Construction Of Stadium Begins With A Real Bang

By Homer Clance

“In my entire life-time, I don’t feel that I will participate in a more important groundbreaking ceremony than this.”

So said Barron Hilton, president of the San Diego chargers, as construction of San Diego’s $27 million multi-purpose stadium was launched with a bang yesterday.

Hilton and Al Harutunian Jr., chairman of the Stadium Advisory Committee, pushed a plunger which set off a series of multi-colored explosions where the football field will stand in the 50,000 seat stadium.

Then Jim Mulvaney, president of the San Diego Padres baseball team, Eddie Leishman, general manager of the team, and Little League Billy Bright pushed a second plunger.

Dec. 19, 1965 report on the stadium groundbreaking ceremony.

(The San Diego Union )

SERIES OF BLASTS

This set off a series of explosions outlining where the baseball field will be in the huge stadium in Mission Valley at the junction of Murphy Canyon Road and Friars Road, north of U.S. 80.

Hundreds of spectators, scattered over hillsides overlooking the stadium site, watched as bright green, blue, red, orange and yellow smoke drifted into the air from the explosions.

Hilton told the throng from a speaker’s platform at Friars Road and Mission Village Drive that “when Al Harutunian talked of moving mountains, it was no surprise to me.”

The young hotel owner pointed out that Sonny Werblin, owner of the New York Jets, has spoken disparagingly of San Diego’s attendance at Charger games.

“Two years from now, nothing in the world would please me more than to have the New York Jets meet the Chargers in San Diego,” he said.

“I’ve bet him that we will average between 40,000 and 50,000 at each game. We will prove we have the finest football city in the U.S.”

Hilton also paid tribute to Jack Murphy, sports editor of The San Diego Union, and Gene Gregston, executive editor and former sports editor of the Evening Tribune.

“There would not be this occasion today if these gentlemen had not persuaded me to bring the Chargers to San Diego five years ago,” he declared.

Mayor Frank Curran, master of ceremonies for the occasion also paid tribute to the newsmedia. He also had high praise for City Mgr. Tom Fletcher and city crews who have kept the project on schedule.

Fletcher told the crowd that 70 city employes have been working almost full-time to have the stadium open on Aug. 15, 1967.

Harutunian, who headed a citizens committee which fought for highly successful voter approval of the stadium issue, drew praise from several speakers.