Ed Roski Discusses Efforts To Bring Team To New L.A.-Area Venue

Ground Will Be Broken On City Of Industry Stadium As Soon As NFL Franchise Is Secured

Majestic Realty Chair & CEO Ed Roski, whose company is seeking to build an NFL stadium in City of Industry, California, said his "ultimate goal is to have a franchise" in L.A., and added "right now all ownership scenarios are on the table," according to Steve Hunt of the SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE. Roski: "It would be inappropriate for us to speculate on timing when there are so many uncontrollable variables in play. After the NFL season is over and we sit down with the League, we will have a clearer picture of our timeline moving forward." Roski added ground will be broken on the stadium "the moment we have secured an NFL franchise." Meanwhile, when asked what would become of his Silverton Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas if he were to become an owner, Roski said, "I am doing everything necessary to prepare myself to be an NFL team owner. ... Not simply abiding by NFL policies but focusing on transparency and doing the right thing for Los Angeles" (SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE, 10/17).

LEADING CANDIDATE? In St. Louis, Bryan Burwell wrote things are "going so badly in Jacksonville that the Jaguars appear to be the most likely existing NFL franchise that could bolt to more prosperous places." Burwell also wrote Rams fans "hope the Jags jump to the front of the line in the race to" L.A. because if the Jaguars were to "give up on Jacksonville, it would dramatically increase the likelihood that the Rams will be permanent fixtures in St. Louis, regardless of who eventually buys them" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/18).

WEST COAST OFFENSE: A SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE editorial stated Roski's proposed stadium "would bring jobs and an economic boost to our area." Laid-off construction workers "would be employed, plus others would get jobs if a football team would come and play here." The California state Legislature reported that the project "would create 18,000 jobs." As a result, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger "should sign" the venue's environmental exemption bill "as he has indicated he would" (SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE, 10/18). A SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE editorial noted once Schwarzenegger signs the bill "in the next week or so, there will be nothing left standing in the way of Roski's fast-track construction plan." The editorial: "Which leads us to again spur leaders in San Diego and Escondido, the two cities with the best chance of keeping the Chargers in the county, to fast-track their own efforts to keep the team" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/17).