Tagliabue to offer help in Charger controversy

Thursday, Jan. 30, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

There's a chance that the expansion of Jack Murphy Stadium could be halted by a referendum, and even a two- or three-week delay would be enough for the NFL to pull the Super Bowl and the Chargers to look for another city in which to play their 1997 home games.

Tagliabue will arrive in San Diego on Sunday night from the Pro Bowl in Hawaii, and meet Monday with team and public officials. Chargers president Dean Spanos said he'll likely drive Tagliabue to the stadium so the commissioner can get a look at the controversial project to add more than 10,000 seats, including more skyboxes and club seating.

Round-the-clock work on the stadium began Dec. 31, and thousands of seats have been torn out to make way for new and upgraded seating.

NFL spokesman Joe Browne said more than one city has contacted the NFL about staging the 1998 Super Bowl if it's pulled from San Diego. Pasadena, Calif., is among those cities.

Pasadena, site of the Rose Bowl, also is among the options should the Chargers have to move next season's home games.

On Tuesday, the City Council killed an $18 million amendment to the original $60 million deal with the Chargers. Officials plan to repackage that $18 million and put it to a public vote this spring.