NFL Exec VP/Business Ventures Eric Grubman was in St. Louis on Thursday to discuss a proposed stadium in a "four-hour session" that included Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, stadium task force leaders Dave Peacock and Bob Blitz and Rams Exec VP/Football Operations & COO Kevin Demoff, according to Bernie Miklasz of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Grubman and three other NFL reps "received a comprehensive update on the status" of the proposed $998M stadium planned for the city's north riverfront. The "points of emphasis included stadium financing, an updated stadium design, and land acquisition." The discussion also "entailed the preliminary outline of a prospective lease agreement that would be presented to the Rams or another NFL team." Peacock said, "We continue to make progress. And it was a good update." Nixon, Peacock and Blitz "were accompanied by a team of advisers from Goldman Sachs, which is assisting on the stadium financing," and reps from architecture firm HOK, which is "designing the stadium." Peacock: "I think the NFL delegation was very pleased with the progress being made on the stadium. The feedback was positive. But we still have work to do, and we know that." Miklasz notes "obstacles remain," as stadium organizers are "counting on the city’s portion of the stadium funding, which would be covered by an existing hotel-motel tax." Peacock said that the "sooner he can present a secure funding commitment to the NFL, the more it will strengthen the city's chances of retaining the Rams and staying in the NFL." A setback on the city's share of the funding "could raise doubts" among NFL exes and owners, which in turn "could sway a relocation vote" in favor of Rams Owner Stan Kroenke (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/17).
LENDING A HELPING HAND: In St. Louis, Tim Bryant in a front-page piece reports the St. Louis Regional Convention & Sports Complex Authority, which owns Edward Jones Dome, on Tuesday will "formally present its request" for $50M in state tax credits from the Missouri Development Finance Board to "help build the proposed stadium." The tax credits awards, "spread over three years, would be used to help raise money for the open-air stadium" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/17).
ESTABLISHING A GAMEPLAN: In S.F., Rachel Swan reports Oakland officials on Thursday in a closed session "met to discuss a Raiders stadium proposal by San Diego developer Floyd Kephart" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/17). In Oakland, Matthew Artz notes the city and Alameda County "have until Monday to respond in writing" to Kephart's $4.2B plan for transforming the current Coliseum complex into the Coliseum City development and "helping the Raiders build a new football stadium there." Kephart will then "get 15 days to respond to the confidential joint city-county letter." He will have until Aug. 21 "to produce a final development plan." Kephart "faces a tall order in getting the city, county and Raiders to sign onto the proposed development project." While the Raiders have "refused to comment on his initial stadium financing plan, it was quickly panned in NFL circles for making the team responsible" for building a 55,000-seat, $900M stadium that "would be smaller and have less revenue potential than a proposed stadium in Carson." Raiders ownership "would have to sell" 20% of the club to Kephart's company, New City Development, for $200M, and "pump half of that into stadium construction" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 7/17).
BOOKED CALENDAR: An Angels spokesperson on Thursday said that using Angel Stadium to temporarily house an NFL team "would be 'very difficult' because of potential scheduling conflicts." In L.A., Nathan Fenno notes the ballpark is "one of at least five local venues that the NFL asked to submit bids to host a team in the event one or more relocates." The city of Anaheim in a statement said that is "left the decision to the Angels" as far putting forth a bid to host an NFL team (L.A. TIMES, 7/17).
