Council Members Offer Chargers Lease Deal in Stadium Saga

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Four city council members are offering San Diego Chargers owner Dean Spanos a lease of $1 a year for 99 years for the Qualcomm Stadium site as a starting point for negotiations for a new stadium.

A copy of the letter with the offer also will be sent to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the 31 other NFL owners. It comes six weeks after a ballot measure for a new downtown stadium was soundly defeated.

The Chargers have until Jan. 15 to exercise an option to move to Los Angeles and join the Rams in a stadium in Inglewood scheduled to open in 2019.

Council members Scott Sherman and Chris Cate say they hope the lease offer gets the Chargers to the negotiating table.