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Kroenke Goes Public With Plan To Team Up With Developer, Build L.A.-Area NFL Stadium

Rams Owner Stan Kroenke "plans to build an NFL stadium" at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., which "could pave the way for the league's return" to L.A., according to a front-page piece by Farmer & Vincent of the L.A. TIMES. Kroenke "has joined forces" with Stockbridge Capital Group, owners of the 238-acre site. The partners said that they "plan to add an 80,000-seat NFL stadium and 6,000-seat performance venue to the already-massive development of retail, office, hotel and residential space." Kroenke "has the ability to move quickly," as the Rams "can choose later this month to convert their lease in St. Louis to year-to-year." The plans "ratchet up pressure on St. Louis to either strike a deal for a new stadium or watch the team return to Southern California," where it played from '46-94. This deal "provides ample space" for a new stadium plus parking. The developers said that no tax dollars "would be used for the construction project, including the stadium." The group "plans to begin gathering signatures soon for an initiative that would place the entire project on the Inglewood municipal ballot" in '15 (L.A. TIMES, 1/5). ESPN L.A.'s Arash Markazi notes before construction on the stadium at Hollywood Park can begin, the project "must pass several political and environmental hurdles and the Rams must, of course, commit to moving back" to L.A. after next season (ESPNLA.com, 1/5). In St. Louis, Jeff Gordon writes the quest to end L.A.'s "decades-long stadium struggle should trump the Farmers Field project for downtown LA" that AEG has been exploring, "since the Kroenke-Stockbridge partnership has the money to make this happen." While obstacles "remain to build the stadium and move the Rams," their status in St. Louis "has officially moved into limbo" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/5). Meanwhile, the L.A. TIMES' Farmer details the Rams' current deal in St. Louis under the header, "Rams And St. Louis Far Apart On Renovating Stadium" (L.A. TIMES, 1/5).

ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY: In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes for nearly each of the 20 years since the NFL last played in L.A., there "have been stories about its imminent return, so excuse us if we require the appearance" of a shovel and a football "before proceeding with giddy optimism." Plaschke: "Show us the shovel. Show us somebody actually churning dirt instead of dreams. Show us somebody actually building a stadium instead of just agreeing to build a stadium." Since Kroenke "can escape his lease this month, why doesn't he move the Rams right now?" Plaschke: "Oh, he's still negotiating with St. Louis to keep them there. Hmmm. Also, if stadiums were so easily built without teams, why haven't the other two Los Angeles sites, which have been in the works for several years, even started construction?" (L.A. TIMES, 1/5). Farmer said of the announcement, "It's a game-changer, because there hasn't been a current owner who can identify a site and make it happen." He added of whether there would be a second team to play in L.A., "The concept of dropping two teams into the city simultaneously is very difficult. Two teams at once might be overwhelming. ... My expectation is you wouldn't see two teams for a while" (MMQB.SI.com, 1/5). Meanwhile, the L.A. Times provides a timeline of events since the NFL left the city 20 years ago.

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