Chargers hold welcome luncheon for civic and business leaders at Center Club

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The Los Angeles Chargers invited civic and business leaders to a welcome luncheon Monday Feb. 13 at the Center Club, where team Owner Dean Spanos, General Manager Tom Telesco and Head Coach Anthony Lynn spoke glowingly about the team’s future new home in Costa Mesa.

“There are two things that we put a priority on,” Spanos said. “The first is to put a winning team on the field, and the second, equally, is to be a part of the community.”

That message resonated well with Costa Mesa leaders who welcomed the team with open arms and presented Spanos with a key to the city and a Costa Mesa baseball cap in the color of the team’s iconic light blue jerseys.

In addition to members of the Chargers front office staff, two players from the team were also in attendance, running back Branden Oliver and fullback Derek Watt.

“I’m a football mom and I know what football brings to families,” Mayor Katrina Foley said. “We are here to support you and make you feel at home. We are so thrilled to have the Charger family join our Costa Mesa family.”

Joining Mayor Foley at the luncheon were Mayor Pro Tem Sandy Genis and Council Members John Stephens, Jim Righeimer, City Manager Tom Hatch and Several members of the city staff.

The Chargers’ new headquarters will be a leased building in the Hive office complex in north Costa Mesa on Susan Street. The team also plans to create a training facility on a 3.2 acre property next to the site.

General Manager Telesco said the team and the team’s front office employees will become integral parts of the Costa Mesa community, getting involved with city events and even having family members take part in youth sports.

“Every day but game day, we’ll be in Costa Mesa,” Telesco said.

And Lynn, who was recently named head coach, echoed that.

“I believe in being part of the community,” Lynn said.

Charger announcer Josh Lewin, the emcee of the event, said it was no mistake that the team made Costa Mesa its new home.

“They didn’t just leave and happen to land in Costa Mesa,” he said. “They scouted Costa Mesa, they met with Costa Mesa city leaders and it was only then that they decided to call this town home.”