Snapdragon Stadium operators decline explanation for drainage problems

Operators of Snapdragon Stadium “declined to explain why it failed to drain adequately” during last week's rain-soaked W Gold Cup game between the U.S. and Canada , according to Tom Krasovic of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. The $310M stadium was built on higher ground than its predecessor on the Mission Valley site, but the “field flunked Wednesday’s test” -- in what was the wettest challenge yet for a prominent sports event in the 19-month-old venue. The standing water produced conditions described as “unplayable” by participants and by viewers who saw San Diego’s “showcase soccer field resemble a giant slip-and-slide.” Stadium workers did “strenuous work Wednesday night, pushing water off the massive field during stoppages.” A spokesperson for Oak View Group -- who operates the venue -- said the company is “committed to continuously improving our protocols for managing such situations in the future, including additional measures to improve field drainage during future severe weather-related events” ( SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/9 ).