In an apparent contradiction, Rams President John Shaw said
the team is "closer than ever" to signing a lease to play in St.
Louis, but that "does not mean the team is ready to bolt from
Orange County." Shaw said Monday most details for a move "are in
place," including selling a stake of the team to MO-based
businessman Stan Kroenke, but that any move would signal the
beginning to a long process. Shaw mentioned possible litigation
after the team goes to the league for approval that would seek to
force the team to stay in Southern CA. To avoid that, Shaw said
he is keeping open the option of signing a short-term deal to
stay in Anaheim and wait to see if the league comes through on
its proposal to build a football-only stadium in the area.
County help in building a stadium remains highly unlikely, as the
bankruptcy of Orange County has led to their inability to issue
bonds for a new facility (Mouchard & Himmelberg, ORANGE COUNTY
REGISTER, 12/13).
PLEASE STAY: Frank Bryant, President of the Rams Booster
Club, met with Shaw and team owner Georgia Frontiere to discuss
keeping the team in the L.A. area. Bryant: "When I left, I was
no happier about our chances of being able to keep the team."
Frontiere told the group she needs to increase her income, and
Shaw reiterated the team had "written" financial guarantees from
St. Louis, something they don't have locally (ORANGE COUNTY
REGISTER, 12/13).
