Chargers stay put in San Diego — for at least 2012
By Phil Dailey
phildailey@lajollalight.comDespite rumors and some speculation that the San Diego Chargers are bound for Los Angeles in the future, some of those doubts were put rest this week, at least in the short team.
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and Chargers owner Dean Spanos issued the following statement this week regarding the Chargers future in San Diego and both parties desire to continue working on a stadium solution:
“The City of San Diego and the Chargers continue to work closely together to explore publicly acceptable ways to build a Super Bowl-quality stadium on the bus maintenance yard site in the East Village of downtown San Diego. To give this ongoing process every chance to succeed, the Chargers have announced that the team will not trigger the lease’s termination clause in 2012. Both the Mayor’s Office and the Chargers look forward to continuing their joint efforts to build a multi-use stadium that will benefit the entire region.”
The Chargers can opt out of their contract with Qualcomm Stadium each year through 2020 so long as they pay off the bonds that were sold when the stadium expanded in 1997.
The Chargers are coming off an 8-8 season and missed the playoffs for the second straight season. The team recently fired defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, replacing him with John Pagano.