NFL Merry-Go-Round: Relocation Roundelay

[Brian in Boston]

As far as the NFL's leadership is concerned, Roski's City of Industry stadium proposal is currently nothing more than an insurance policy.

Sure, the NFL suits will engage in polite business-speak ("Both stadium plans represent the best possibility for the league to return to Greater Los Angeles in quite some time"... "Either stadium plan would be phenomenal home for an NFL franchise"... "We're closely following developments with both stadium initiatives"... yada, yada, yada), but their preference is for AEG's plan. The powers-that-be amongst league officials and ownership are more intrigued by the prospect of partnering with Phil Anschutz than Roski. Roski's no piker by any stretch of the imagination, but he isn't in Phil Anschutz's class, either. Further, NFL types are more jazzed by the idea of an NFL stadium being located in the midst of a sparkling new entertainment district in downtown Los Angeles than they are by a facility in suburban City of Industry.

Having the stadium built in downtown LA is a marketing coup for the NFL. League leaders can point to an NFL facility adding to the luster of Staples Center and LA Live, while also acting as a catalyst for the redevelopment of a moribund convention center. That's a card the NFL can - and will - play when it comes time to convince government officials in other municipalities to agree to partner with NFL teams on development. Sure, there are comparatively few teams in need of new facilities in the wake of the NFL stadia-building boom that's taken place over the past 15 to 20 years. Still, facilities will age and - in an effort to get said facilities renovated or replaced in the future - the NFL will one day wish to point to all of the projects they can where construction of an NFL stadium helped to buoy a community's fortunes. Something tells me that touting a Los Angeles-based stadium that further cemented downtown LA's establishment as a "destination" and helped play a role in turning around an underachieving convention facility will come across as more impressive than pointing to what will amount to an "island" development in suburban City of Industry.

[Gothamite]

I don't think there's any doubt that the NFL would prefer a downtown stadium. But it also helps to have a competing development that can offer them a little extra leverage. Smooth out the environmental review, Los Angeles city council, or the city of Industry will get our business.

[MadmanLA]

Meanwhile, Ed Roski and the Industry plan are trying to stay in the headlines.

Honestly I still think Roski's plan has it's merits. Particularly in a place like LA where "downtown" really isn't "downtown." Plus Roski's site does have the tailgating advantage which, let's face it, really is part of the NFL fan experience (particularly in California). The downtown stadium would eliminate that in favor of ESPNZones and Wolfgang Puck, which frankly aren't the kind of overpriced establishments NFL fans want. And this completely ignores the fact Roski could start building tomorrow if a team signed up with him vs the downtown stadium which will undoubtedly hit snags with the public financing and the inevitable lawsuits.

Well, they did just open up a Hooters across the street from the Convention Center/Staples last month...imagine how crazy and packed that place would be on game days. Not much going on at Staples Center, except for Summerslam, the recent X Games, and Sparks home games.

But yeah, the one drawback on the Farmers Field location would lack of tailgating, especially when there's already a storage of parking to begin with in that area. Not much tailgating you can do when you go immediately west of the area (and I-110) and you're in a largely residential area.

[rvrdgsfn]

Farmers Field passes another hurdle

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nfl/story/_/id/6948868/california-passes-bill-ease-building-farmers-field

In a decision that could pave the way for the NFL to return to Los Angeles next year, the California State Senate passed a bill to expedite legal challenges to Farmers Field, Anschutz Entertainment Group's $1.2 billion proposed football stadium in downtown Los Angeles.

Senate Bill 292, which passed 32-7, will now go to California Gov. Jerry Brown, who has 30 days to either sign or veto the bill. He is expected to sign it but if he takes no action, the bill will become law anyway. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his support for the bipartisan bill on Thursday.

Looks like a win win for LA getting the NFL back.

[Gothamite]

And with that, the last significant advantage the Industry site enjoys over its downtown competitor falls by the wayside.

Looks like downtown is a done deal.

[bosrs1]

And with that, the last significant advantage the Industry site enjoys over its downtown competitor falls by the wayside.

Looks like downtown is a done deal.

Starting to look that way, but it's not a done deal yet. AEG still hasn't said how they're funding it and they've yet to lure a team that wants to give up a majority stake of itself to them.

[Gothamite]

I'm not aware that majority stake is a deal-breaker.

The NFL wants Los Angeles too much for this not to happen, and there are too many teams in bad markets or without stadium deals for this not to happen.

The only reason LA has been without a team for so long was the inability to put an ownership group and stadium deal together. Well, now there are two. And although I preferred the other bid, I admire the way AEG has manage to leap ahead of them.

[Brian in Boston]

AEG still hasn't said how they're funding it...

When you're owned by the 34th-richest person in the United States, you fund it yourself. Which is what Phil Anschutz, the billionaire behind AEG, has promised to do.

Anschutz is worth at least $7 billion. The price-tag for the stadium is $1.2 billion. Whether Anschutz collects the change from in-between his couch cushions, takes crisp new bills from his vault, or lines-up some of his cronies from amongst the ranks of investment bankers to cut him a low-interest loan, AEG has the stadium development and construction costs covered.

As for the money necessary to demolish the current West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center and build a new, expanded hall to replace it, AEG's plan calls for the City of Los Angeles to float $275 million in tax-exempt bonds up front, with 73% of the bonds being covered by AEG and the other 27% being covered by new tax revenues generated by Farmers Field.

... they've yet to lure a team that wants to give up a majority stake of itself to them.

AEG has never said that obtaining a majority stake in an NFL team setting-up shop in Farmers Field is a prerequisite for a deal being done. Rather, Tim Leiweke has stated that Phil Anschutz "is prepared to acquire a majority interest in an NFL franchise in order to bring a team to Farmers Field". Prepared to... not requiring a majority stake. Leiweke has also said that Anschutz would be perfectly fine obtaining a minority stake in a team if that was enough to land an NFL team for Farmers Field.

[Gothamite]

That was my understanding - they want a piece of the team, would love to control a team, but aren't requiring it.

Personally, I think the "they want majority control" is a canard created to reassure San Diego fans.

[DustDevil61]

Looks like Gov. Brown signed the expedition bill today.

Farmers Field looks more and more like a done deal with each passing day. I just hope it won't be the Vikings playing there.

[Rockstar Matt]

Looks like Gov. Brown signed the expedition bill today.

Farmers Field looks more and more like a done deal with each passing day. I just hope it won't be the Vikings playing there.

Vikings belong in Minnesota. I hope they never move. I hope L.A. gets the Rams or the Jaguars however. I actually want both teams, but I'll take one team.

[McCall]

Looks like Gov. Brown signed the expedition bill today.

Farmers Field looks more and more like a done deal with each passing day. I just hope it won't be the Vikings playing there.

Vikings belong in Minnesota. I hope they never move. I hope L.A. gets the Rams or the Jaguars however. I actually want both teams, but I'll take one team.

I'm calling the Chargers and Jaguars.

[Gothamite]

Not without realignment, which makes it far less likely to me.

I'm still taking the Chargers and Rams, and I don't think it's even close. Not what I want to happen, mind you (I'd move the Jags tomorrow), but what I think will happen.

[The_Admiral]

Same here, but Rams ahead of the Chargers because the Chargers have too much organizational inertia to engineer anything as daunting as a relocation. They've been meaning to fire Norv Turner for like three years and still haven't gotten around to it!

[Gothamite]

That would be about right - the Rams move first and claim the market in an all-out Hollywood media blitz, while the Chargers eventually slink north with half the fanfare and struggle to establish themselves as the city's second-tier team.

[TheOldRoman]

Not without realignment, which makes it far less likely to me.

I'm still taking the Chargers and Rams, and I don't think it's even close. Not what I want to happen, mind you (I'd move the Jags tomorrow), but what I think will happen.

What the hell will they do with the Jaguars if they fill up LA? Jacksonville is the worst situation of any of these teams and there are no more potential markets unless Clownshoes Goddell is ready to start up the inevitable and enormous failure that will be the European division.

[The_Admiral]

St. Louis, Orlando, San Antonio, leave them? None of these are really good ideas, mind you.

[TBGKon]

St. Louis, Orlando, San Antonio, leave them? None of these are really good ideas, mind you.

If the Jags are to remain in Florida, Jacksonville is the only option. From looking at the past, former NFL cities typically step up on that new venue the old team wanted years before, so St Louis is viable option #1 if that scenario goes forward.

[Gothamite]

St. Louis, Orlando, San Antonio, leave them? None of these are really good ideas, mind you.

If the Jags are to remain in Florida, Jacksonville is the only option. From looking at the past, former NFL cities typically step up on that new venue the old team wants years before, so St Louis is viable option #1 if that scenario goes forward.

That's my thought as well.

I don't see any scenario in which St. Louis can afford to buy the Rams a new stadium, so consequently I don't see any scenario in which St. Louis can keep the Rams from moving back to LA. However, once we pull out of the recession (and if the rest of Missouri is finished financially punishing St. Louis for whatever reason they are), then I see them looking at the Jaguars.

[bosrs1]

The other wrinkle with the Chargers is that Brown also signed the similar bill which applies to ALL big projects statewide which benefits the Chargers stadium push in SD and the Niners push in Santa Clara which may well move all 3 CA teams down the relocation list.