The Anaheim City Council on Tuesday "unanimously" voted
to approve a bid to bring an NFL team back to Orange County,
according to Marla Jo Fisher of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER.
The proposal was presented by a group headed by Newport
Beach developer Hadi Makarechian, sports consultant Wayne
Wedin and former NFL player Rod Sherman. The group said it
would pay all expenses, such as a new stadium and expansion
fees, to represent the city with the NFL for 13 months
(ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 9/23). Makarechian has held
"months of secret negotiations" with Anaheim city officials,
and would like to present his proposal to NFL owners next
month. The plan includes a new stadium between Arrowhead
Pond and Edison Field. Wedin, "who has been working with
the NFL for years," said that the group already has
financing in place. But Fisher & Kingsley reported that
there is "no certainty" that NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue
will allow the Anaheim group to make its presentation at the
league's October owners meeting in K.C. The league will
hear from two L.A. groups and one Houston group. Wedin:
"The NFL is aware that we're here. We're going to put our
credentials on the table and it's their choice whether to
proceed" (Fisher & Kingsley, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 9/23).