SAN DIEGO -- The city attorney's office sought Wednesday to make sure that the group seeking a football team for Los Angeles does not interfere with San Diego's dealings with the Chargers.

A letter to Anschutz Entertainment Group President Tim Leiweke, signed by Assistant City Attorney Les Girard, expresses concern that "overtures" from AEG could depress Chargers ticket sales -- and therefore cost the city because of its ticket guarantee.

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"The city trusts that AEG will conduct its business affairs in Los Angeles without interfering with the contractual rights and obligations of the city and the Chargers under the agreement," the letter states.

The letter bears Gwinn's typed name after the closing, then is signed by Girard. The City Council authorized the letter in closed session Tuesday, according to the city attorney's office.

The Chargers are seeking a new stadium in San Diego, and also have been approached by AEG regarding a proposed downtown Los Angeles football stadium. The team said last week that it put off talks with the Los Angeles group while it deals with San Diego officials.

Girard wrote that the letter's purpose was to "inform you (Leiweke) of the pertinent provisions" of the city's contract, including a ticket guarantee and the conditions under which the Chargers could seek a new deal elsewhere.

He also sent along a copy of the related contract provisions.

"The city is concerned that overtures to the Chargers to relocate to another venue may have a material adverse impact on the city and its contractual rights and obligations" under the city's contract with the Chargers, Girard wrote.

Mayor Dick Murphy's office released the letter to the media with a cover sheet stating: "The letter speaks for itself."

Questions were referred to the office of city attorney Casey Gwinn.

"At this time we have nothing further to add," said Maria Velasquez, press secretary to Gwinn.

The Chargers' contract, under which the city invested about $78 million in Qualcomm Stadium improvements, weds them to the publicly owned stadium through 2020. But a clause would allow the team to be "shopped" to other cities in 2004 if it exceeds certain NFL salary restrictions.

In an April letter to Murphy, Chargers President Dean Spanos, son of the owner, asserted that the conditions were met last season and probably would be met again this season.

In the letter sent Wednesday by fax and mail, Girard told AEG's president that the Chargers haven't delivered notice of the "triggering event," and can't do so until the next period begins on Dec. 1.

That notice would start a 90-day negotiation period with the city of San Diego, followed by a 180-day period when the Chargers could seek a deal in another city. The city would have 90 days to match any offer presented to the team.

The city's contract with the team also guarantees the Chargers sales of 60,000 tickets per game -- a controversial provision that has cost the city $25.3 million since 1997.

The city is concerned that overtures to the Chargers and the accompanying publicity "will depress ticket sales to Chargers' games at Qualcomm Stadium, thus having an impact on the Chargers' ability to maximize attendance at the stadium," the letter says. "That circumstance may thus have a material adverse impact on the city's attendance guarantee."

And Girard said the city is concerned the "controversy surrounding the Los Angeles situation" will "detract significantly" from next year's Super Bowl in San Diego.