Proposed Industry Stadium Receives Environmental Exemption

Senate Sites Double-Digit Unemployment Rate In County As A Reason For Granting Exemption

The California state Senate yesterday approved by a 21-14 vote a bill that exempts the proposed football stadium in City of Industry "from state environmental laws," according to Patrick McGreevy of the L.A. TIMES. The action was taken after Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg was "unsuccessful in negotiating an agreement that would have a citizens group drop its lawsuit seeking to block the 75,000-seat stadium." Steinberg cited the "double-digit unemployment rate in Los Angeles County as a reason for granting the exemption." Meanwhile, amid concern that stadium developer Majestic Realty Co. Chair & CEO Ed Roski "might persuade the San Diego Chargers to relocate to Industry," state Sen. Mark Wyland "tried unsuccessfully to change the bill to require that any team based at the new stadium come from out of state" (L.A. TIMES, 10/15). Chargers Special Counsel Mark Fabiani last night said that San Diego politicians are "already working as hard as they can to keep the Chargers, so the developers' success in the City of Industry won't make them try harder." Fabiani: "For the Chargers, it does not really change our calculations. We want to try to get something done in the San Diego region" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/15). In California, James Wagner notes the approval "marks the furthest any developer has gone with a stadium plan in the Los Angeles area in years" (SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE, 10/15).

ANOTHER EXEMPTION: In California, David Goll noted California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Sunday signed a bill into law that exempts the 49ers from "getting competitive bids on their proposed Santa Clara stadium," allowing the team to bypass Santa Clara's "requirement of a competitive bid requirement on construction projects." Santa Clara City Council members have "already given their blessing to" the 68,500-seat stadium, but it "must still be approved by a majority vote of Santa Clara residents" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/13).