By Michael Strickland

[This is my "rerun day" for June. Following is an article written last fall about the San Diego Chargers stadium issue. Currently, the team is in discussions with the San Diego City Council about whether or not a stadium initiative will appear on the ballot in the foreseeable future.] Qualcomm Stadium: Is San Diego Supercharged or Overcharged? By Michael Strickland Motions, University of San Diego School of Law October 2002 The Chargers want a new stadium. Over the past decade, 17 new football stadiums have sprouted up across the country. Five new stadiums opened for business this season alone. It's understandable why Chargers owner Alex Spanos wants one for his organization; everyone else is doing it. Also understandable is the lack of public support for the issue. Just five years ago, Qualcomm Stadium underwent a $78 million renovation, $60 million of which was publicly funded. In addition, a controversial "ticket guarantee" clause in the Chargers' current contract has cost San Diego taxpayers over $28 million since 1995. Add the fact that the team hasn't had a winning record since that same year, and it becomes obvious why the organization is facing an uphill battle. For law students, the stadium issue has something for just about everyone: contract law, sports law, property law, land use planning and more than a little local politics. At the heart of the matter is the Chargers' 1995 contract with the city, which contains a loophole that gives the organization a certain degree of leverage over the city. In July, Mayor Dick Murphy formed the Citizens' Task Force on Chargers Issues to investigate "fiscally responsible" ways to keep the team in San Diego. A number of local attorneys serve on the task force, including Karen Heumann, a 1997 USD graduate. Next February, the task force will submit their final report to the city council. Read the full article here.   ©2003 Michael Strickland ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

NEW: 'Froadin'! I finally got around to posting a video clip from my off-roading excursion to Joshua Tree National Park. Broadband users (it's nearly 15 MB), check it out here. What is "The Daily Strick"? I have long called myself a writer, but too often I don't do what a writer must do daily: write. So you, dear reader, are the beneficiary of my resolution to make a positive change in at least one area of my life. Every single day of this new year (almost), I will write something, anything, and post it here. It is my intention to use this daily exercise to jump-start my too-long-dormant creative energies, and perhaps generate some worthwhile material this year. Hopefully you will find at least an occasional amusement or insight in my daily musings. Today's Column Send a Comment June Columns: 6/30: Halfway There 6/27: 28 Days Later 6/26: I Am a Racist 6/24: America the Obese 6/23: Reality TV Sells 6/20: June Gloom 6/18: Hatch's Hollywood Hacking 6/16: Qualcomm Stadium 6/15: Happy Father's Day 6/14: Flag Day 6/13: Friday the 13th 6/12: Extreme 6/9: Spammed 6/8: Lack of PLANning 6/7: When Grass Attacks 6/4: Culture Shock 6/1: The Baja 500 Previous months in The Archive Like what you've read? Find more good reading on (and support future Daily Stricks!)