San Diego City Attorney Michael Aguirre wants the San Diego Chargers to "help the city out," possibly by renegotiating their Qualcomm Stadium lease or by making the city's bond payment.

Operating figures recently uncovered by the city, Aguirre said, reveal a huge discrepancy between what the team earned by using Qualcomm and what it cost the city to run the stadium.

"There's a hope that the Chargers reflect upon the fact that they have a pretty good deal right now at Qualcomm," Aguirre told reporters Monday, citing millions of dollars in city subsidies that goes toward the stadium.

"Our goal today is not to attack anyone," he said. "It's not to try to embarrass anyone, but simply to get the facts out on the table in hopes that we can begin to have a dialogue with our friends at the San Diego Chargers about how they might be able to contribute to lessening the financial burdens on the city of San Diego."

According to the city attorney's office, the operation of Qualcomm Stadium cost the city $9.8 million in 2004, $8.9 million in 2005 and $9.6 million in 2006. The city spent an additional $5.8 million on the annual debt service in each of the past three years.

During that time, according to Aguirre, the Chargers took in $195 million in on-site stadium revenue.

"If you extend it back to 1997, it's obvious there's been a substantial amount made by the Chargers and a substantial loss to the city of San Diego," Aguirre said.

Jim Waring, the city's deputy chief for land use, said that before this year, the city didn't know how much it cost to operate Qualcomm.

"It was more than a little discouraging to learn that it cost the city more than the $250,000-a-game revenue that we received from the Chargers, even before some of these extraordinary items like the debt service," Waring said.

He said he would be speaking with the Chargers "very, very soon," but a dialogue had not yet begun.

Chargers attorney Mark Fabiani said good faith talks should not begin with a press conference.

"It's just another attempt by Aguirre to get himself on TV and in the newspaper," he said." If he's truly interested in talking to the Chargers, he wouldn't do it through the media.

"The record is clear. Aguirre is trying to drive the Chargers out of town. No one should have any doubt that if the Chargers leave San Diego, Aguirre will be the person to blame."

Fabiani said the Chargers have proposed a private-sector plan that would eliminate the city's obligations at Qualcomm, but have been continually rebuffed.

"Aguirre worked every step of the way to block that project," Fabiani said. "If anyone has any complaints about the city's financial situation at Qualcomm, they need to take it to the doorstep of Mike Aguirre and the others that defended the status quo through the years."

Waring said he doesn't believe the Chargers have known how much it costs to operate the stadium and hopes the revelation of these numbers will lead them to the bargaining table.

"The Chargers don't have to do anything," Waring admitted. "I'm hopeful that when they see the numbers, that there might be an opportunity to negotiate."