The city’s downtown redevelopment arm hired a consultant Nov. 18 to investigate the feasibility of a football-only stadium just east of Petco Park.

The Centre City Development Corp., a part of San Diego’s Redevelopment Agency, amended an existing contract it has with its outside law firm of Best, Best & Krieger LLP for an amount not to exceed $160,000 to hire Evolution Media Capital.

According to CCDC, the consultant will research the potential of a proposed 15-acre site that includes Tailgate Park east of Petco Park, and an adjacent parcel used by the San Diego Transit Co. for a bus yard.

The site has been proposed to accommodate a new stadium for the San Diego Chargers after the team has looked for a site in five other cities, most recently Escondido.

The team has been looking for a new stadium since 2002, and has said it can no longer compete equally against other teams because of aging Qualcomm Stadium. The estimated cost of a new stadium ranges from $800 million to more than $1 billion.

Evolution Media’s principal, Mitchell Ziets, is an experienced professional who has been involved in a number of sports stadium projects in the nation, including Petco Park, said CCDC spokesman Derek Danziger.

CCDC’s board of directors approved the contract in a 6-0-1 vote with board member Robert McNeely abstaining. He said he didn’t vote because of his employment at Union Bank, and its business relationship with the San Diego Chargers.

— Mike Allen