San Diego Chargers offer glimpse of what could be their future stadium

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Chargers are giving fans a first-look at their plans for an expanded stadium and convention center. On Thursday, the team posted renderings of the architect's design on its website and Twitter page.

"This is a conceptual design intended to convey the Chargers' vision for what the stadium and convention center expansion could look like," the team said on its website.

Project architect David Manica told the San Diego Union-Tribune the design for the 61,500-seat stadium was inspired by "San Diego's mild climate, rugged coastline and sailing culture."

"We want it to be soft, friendly, of San Diego," he told the newspaper. "We want it to feel like a building that has been there for a long time, like a natural evolution of the downtown architecture."

The final design for the stadium will be chosen by a panel set up by city leaders if locals vote to approve of an initiative to raise money for the project, according to the Chargers.

The team will kick off its signature-gathering campaign on Saturday with an event in San Diego's East Village. Among those scheduled to attend are NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, former running back LaDainian Tomlinson, quarterback Phillip Rivers and team Chairman Dean Spanos.

The initiative would have voters raise the price on hotel stays so bonds could be sold to pay for the $1.8 billion project, according to the Union-Tribune. Of those funds, $650 million would come from the team and the NFL, the paper reported.

The initiative will go before voters in November.

Cox Media Group