SAN DIEGO -- Attorneys for the city of San Diego say the language in a contract between the city and the San Diego Chargers may give the advantage to the city, 10News reported.

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Lawyers Say There Is A Way

Coincidentally, that the Chargers played, and lost to, the Rams in St. Louis Sunday. The Rams couldn't get a new stadium in Los Angeles, so they packed their bags and headed for the Midwest, according to 10News.

Now the Chargers want a new facility, and there are rumblings about a move to Los Angeles. The lease at Qualcomm Stadium runs to 2020, but the team has options every few years that will free it of its contract, if the financial picture is bleak.

But attorneys on the Citizens' Task Force on Chargers Issues say the city has an option, too -- pay the difference between expenses and income for the Chargers to help eliminate red ink.

In other words, for a few million dollars, the urgency for a new stadium -- costing hundreds of millions dollars -- diminishes greatly, according to 10News.

Discussion

Should San Diego Try To Keep The Chargers?

"If the city knows it can keep the Chargers here for $2 (million) to $5 million, I think the city will be less inclined to do a very expensive football stadium in the short term," said Citizens' Task Force member Len Simon said.

"On the other hand, if (the city) knows that the Chargers will move to Los Angeles next year, I think that some people -- not everyone -- will think that a big expenditure for a brand-new stadium in the short term is worth it."

The Chargers claim that they want to stay in San Diego, but warn that going to court could be costly.

"I hope they're not headed toward litigation," Chargers' attorney Mark Fabiani said. "Litigation would cost taxpayers money, because it will make fans unhappy and disgruntled; people won't buy tickets; the cost of the ticket guarantee will increase. Litigation will make the lawyers rich but it won't achieve anything, except spoiling relationships all over this town."

Fabiani said that the team expects to have a proposal to redevelop the current site of Qualcomm Stadium in a few months.

The task force will vote whether to send the recommendation to the City Council on Thursday.