St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Thomas Frawley yesterday ruled that the city "does not need voter approval before spending tax dollars" on a riverfront NFL stadium, "jumping another hurdle in the race to keep" the Rams, according to a front-page piece by David Hunn of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Frawley "declared invalid the city ordinance requiring a public vote, calling sections 'too vague to be enforced.'" He ruled the placement of the new stadium, along the riverfront just north of downtown, "does not break a state law requiring that the building be 'adjacent' to the convention center." St. Louis stadium task force co-head Dave Peacock "praised the legal team as 'extraordinary' and called for 'everyone in the St. Louis region' to rally behind the stadium effort." Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon "lauded the task force for continued 'solid progress.'" However, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay's Chief of Staff Mary Ellen Ponder called Frawley’s decision "very disappointing." Slay's Dir of Communications Maggie Crane said that the city was "considering an appeal." Hunn notes the task force has "recently outlined current financing estimates" of the stadium, which is "now expected to cost" $998M. It hopes for about $250M from Rams ownership, a $200M NFL "loan to the owners," $187M in tax incentives, $201M "in state and city bond proceeds" and $160M in PSLs (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 8/4). St. Louis City Council member Winston Calvert yesterday said of whether the city will appeal the ruling, "I don’t know the timing of that. That decision will need to be made, and it will need to be shared publicly" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/3).
STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: In St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz writes the ruling was a "huge hurdle, and the task force cleared it in time for the Aug. 11 NFL owners’ meeting in Chicago." The owners will "convene to discuss" the L.A. situation and "rival stadium plans" in the L.A. suburbs. Peacock said that the ruling "will reaffirm the seriousness and viability of the stadium plan when the NFL owners receive an update on the progress in St. Louis." He added that NFL execs have "continued to encourage" the task force and Nixon to "'keep doing what you’re doing,' in the drive for the new stadium." Miklasz: "This guarantees nothing of course. But any positive developments can only help the St. Louis cause" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 8/4).
