Rams moving back to LA?

[Remedy360]

The owner of the St. Louis Rams has bought a large piece of land in Inglewood that potentially could be used for an NFL stadium, multiple individuals with knowledge of the transaction have told The Times.
Within the last month, billionaire Stan Kroenke bought a 60-acre parking lot located between the Forum and Hollywood Park, according to individuals who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on behalf of the buyer or seller.
Wal-Mart originally owned the land but sold it after failing to get public approval for a superstore. Madison Square Garden Co., which owns the Forum, had planned to buy the lot for an estimated $90 million in order to acquire more space for parking and possibly additional development. However, MSG was informed by Wal-Mart at the end of 2013 that the land had already been sold to an unnamed party. The individuals confirmed the buyer is Kroenke, a former Wal-Mart board member and husband of Ann Walton Kroenke, daughter of Wal-Mart co-founder Bud Walton. For years, Kroenke has owned a substantial amount of land in Southern California.
The Rams neither confirmed nor denied that Kroenke had purchased the land and declined to comment on the situation.
Los Angeles has been without an NFL franchise since the Rams and Raiders left after the 1994 season. Although relocating a franchise would be fraught with challenges, and the L.A. market repeatedly has been used as leverage to get stadium deals done in other cities, this is the first time an NFL owner has bought a piece of land in the L.A. area capable of accommodating a stadium.
The Rams have been unable to work out a stadium deal in St. Louis, and, according to the terms of their lease, are able to move after the 2014 season. Last February, the Rams won an arbitration case against the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission concerning upgrades to the Edward Jones Dome. The commission proposed spending $124 million to bring the venue up to date, but the Rams said the necessary renovations would cost about $700 million.
Kroenke's purchase of the L.A.-area land puts additional pressure on St. Louis to come to the bargaining table or risk losing its NFL team. However, 60 acres is probably too small to fit a stadium and the required parking.
An adjacent 238-acre site is owned by Stockbridge Capital Partners, which intends to transform the recently closed Hollywood Park Racetrack into a modern residential community, Hollywood Park Tomorrow, with development beginning this spring. It is unclear whether it would be possible or financially feasible for Kroenke to purchase some portion of that land for a stadium, especially one unlikely to be publicly financed in any way.
Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts said he was aware of the land sale and that he would welcome a football stadium if the development included shops, restaurants and entertainment-related businesses that would be open year-round.
"It would not surprise me at all that there would be interest in a football stadium," Butts said. "We have been the home of sports teams before, and we have experience working with sports franchises."
Inglewood is centrally situated near multiple freeways and the Los Angeles International Airport, he said. "If there is to be interest by the NFL, we have the most desirable location."
It is risky for an NFL owner to take an obvious step toward Los Angeles for a number of reasons.
First, Kroenke could be creating a lame-duck situation for the Rams in St. Louis, potentially driving down attendance dramatically, as was the case when teams that announced they would move lingered in the Houston and Cleveland markets.
In order to move, the Rams would need more than an escape clause in their lease. They would need to satisfy the NFL's relocation guidelines, which require a good-faith negotiation with St. Louis and/or the state of Missouri on a stadium plan. Because St. Louis has already shown a willingness to spend public money on a venue — something that will not happen in the L.A. market — that would make it more difficult for the Rams to get the NFL's blessing on a move.
The NFL effectively controls the L.A. market, because the league participates heavily in the financing of new stadiums and the awarding of Super Bowls.
In the post-9/11 era, there is a potential Federal Aviation Administration issue with building a stadium at or near Hollywood Park, which sits in the flight path of Los Angeles International Airport. Al Davis, then owner of the L.A. Raiders, got a Hollywood Park proposal approved in the 1990s, but the world was a different place then.
There probably would be a slew of other environmental challenges to building a stadium there — among them traffic and parking issues — particularly next to a large Hollywood Park Tomorrow development.
Already, there are two competing NFL stadium proposals in the Los Angeles area, one next to Staples Center, and another in the City of Industry. Both almost certainly would exert as much political and public pressure as possible to derail a third option.
Finally, a relocation would require a three-quarters majority vote of the league's 32 teams. The fact that the Rams already left this market would be a strike against them. What's more, a team filling the L.A. market would be a detriment to getting stadium deals done in San Diego and Oakland because it would deprive those teams of leverage in their home cities. A coalition of at least nine NFL owners could block any such move.


http://www.latimes.com/sports/football/nfl/la-sp-nfl-la-rams-20140131,0,3805682.story#ixzz2rxhrQxUX


Hate to wish relocation on anyone, but as far as economics go moving a team to LA seems like a no-brainer.

[DJ SUGAFREE QUIK]

FUCK THE RAMS!  Never liked them, cheered when they were run outta so-cal.  Yes they were run outta so-cal.  And b4 someone mentions oh, no they didn't move because of lack of fan support.  From 91-94 the Rams had 3 sellouts.  All those sellouts, the rams were the road team practically.  2 vs. Frisco, 1 vs. Raiders.  Looks like lack of fan support 2 me    Georgia just wanted a new stadium.  1st of all, most of the 90's, 60+% of so-cals were on dallas & frisco's bandwagon at that time.  2nd of all, just like irsay with the colts....what did georgia do to deserve a new stadium?

BESIDES NOTHIN!

Hell, the 49ers needed a new stadium since the 90's & they still competed.  Didn't use their old stadium as an excuse.  Their downfall mostly had 2 do with steve young's retirement, jerry rice being released, & them passing on no-cal 9er fan Aaron Rodgers.  And DeFartolo being 4ced to give up the team because of something that went down in louisiana. 

All this talk of the redskins should be 4ced 2 change their name, the rams should change their name because they're practically a dead franchise.  The most arrogant jerks on earth team long gone, the fearsome foursome, gone.  Only 1 still lives I think.  As far as i'm concerned the L.A. rams died when Carroll Rosenbloom did.  And others would say the rams died when they left the hood 4 the suburbs & or traded Dickerson.  Rams is a weak football name, sounds like a suburban team.  Which they practically was when they were in Anaheim. 

Farmers Field should be built, but for USC & UCLA instead.  Think outside the box.  Rams fans live in the past too much, let it go.  The houstonians did when the Texans were created.  They coulda asked for the Oilers name back, their uniforms are a helluva lot better than the texans.  But they felt Bud Adams tarnished the Oilers name & franchise so badly they wanted a new name.  Georgia tarnished the Rams name & franchise a whole lot worse. 

I wish more people like me would get it through their thick skulls.  L.A. DON'T DESERVE ANOTHER TEAM!  ITS TOO LATE!   Shoulda had a 1 NFC expansion team in the late 90's but no, the coliseum cartel stuck their nose where it didn't belong & sabotaged everything    And it shoulda been in hollywood park then.  Not just because I have relatives who live near that place.  I could probably walk to that stadium if I wanted to, but wouldn't cause I don't wanna risk getting shot at.  1 Expansion team or NO TEAM AT ALL!

Ima wrap this up.  San Antonio is a better choice, they have a football stadium.  Will need renovations, + no state tax.  This state is too expensive 2 live in.  Probably 1 of the reasons Dwight Howard left for Texas.  Texas ain't my dream choice of a new residence but i'd rather live there than this state now.  St. Louis should not lose the rams, besides they put up with their losing seasons.  The Cardinals too.  L.A. ain't gonna put up with losing seasons.  So-cal NFL fans are spoiled.  In order 2 keep the fans from jumping on other teams bandwagons & lie like they loved that team all their life is to win the SB EVERY SINGLE YEAR.  Hell even though they lost the SB, lots of SoCals are jumping back on Frisco's bandwagon again    I see a lot of their queer logo again...AND I HATE THAT

And last I heard, the rams have found a spot in Missouri to build a new stadium.  What happened with that?  And they should just renovate, its not 20 years old yet.  And So-Cal got 2 stadiums for USC & UCLA & their both almost 90 years old.  I feel they need new stadiums but haven't heard of them getting any.  The A's & Raiders need new stadiums the most in this state, but people keep fartin around & not doing anything about them.  Bad enuff that the Falcons and Braves are getting new stadiums this decade & those stadiums are young 22 & 18 respectively.  Pathetic!  I hope Cubs & Red Sox fans are laughing at those teams, both their stadiums are over 100 years old & are still using them.

Plus i'm sick & tired of these cheapskate owners using so-cal as an extortion bargaining chip.  Just wanting 2 be here for the wrong reasons.  We got enuff transplants moving here as is.  Don't need anymore.  That's the main reason I DID NOT WANT GAY MARRIAGE in this state.  As its the only place 2 be, of course if that was true then how come lots of people are moving out?  And I wanna GTFO of this state too.  Yes, St. Louis got bigger problems like high murder rates & places that looks like Detroit.  Abandoned houses & buildings.  So-cal DON'T NEED THE NFL.  St. Louis, ALL SALES ARE FINAL!  NO REFUNDS!  Besides the Raiders won a SB for L.A. & there were more Raider fans than Rams fans anyway. 

[Remedy360]

FUCK THE RAMS!  Never liked them, cheered when they were run outta so-cal.  Yes they were run outta so-cal.  And b4 someone mentions oh, no they didn't move because of lack of fan support.  From 91-94 the Rams had 3 sellouts.  All those sellouts, the rams were the road team practically.  2 vs. Frisco, 1 vs. Raiders.  Looks like lack of fan support 2 me    Georgia just wanted a new stadium.  1st of all, most of the 90's, 60+% of so-cals were on dallas & frisco's bandwagon at that time.  2nd of all, just like irsay with the colts....what did georgia do to deserve a new stadium?

BESIDES NOTHIN!

Hell, the 49ers needed a new stadium since the 90's & they still competed.  Didn't use their old stadium as an excuse.  Their downfall mostly had 2 do with steve young's retirement, jerry rice being released, & them passing on no-cal 9er fan Aaron Rodgers.  And DeFartolo being 4ced to give up the team because of something that went down in louisiana. 

All this talk of the redskins should be 4ced 2 change their name, the rams should change their name because they're practically a dead franchise.  The most arrogant jerks on earth team long gone, the fearsome foursome, gone.  Only 1 still lives I think.  As far as i'm concerned the L.A. rams died when Carroll Rosenbloom did.  And others would say the rams died when they left the hood 4 the suburbs & or traded Dickerson.  Rams is a weak football name, sounds like a suburban team.  Which they practically was when they were in Anaheim. 

Farmers Field should be built, but for USC & UCLA instead.  Think outside the box.  Rams fans live in the past too much, let it go.  The houstonians did when the Texans were created.  They coulda asked for the Oilers name back, their uniforms are a helluva lot better than the texans.  But they felt Bud Adams tarnished the Oilers name & franchise so badly they wanted a new name.  Georgia tarnished the Rams name & franchise a whole lot worse. 

I wish more people like me would get it through their thick skulls.  L.A. DON'T DESERVE ANOTHER TEAM!  ITS TOO LATE!   Shoulda had a 1 NFC expansion team in the late 90's but no, the coliseum cartel stuck their nose where it didn't belong & sabotaged everything    And it shoulda been in hollywood park then.  Not just because I have relatives who live near that place.  I could probably walk to that stadium if I wanted to, but wouldn't cause I don't wanna risk getting shot at.  1 Expansion team or NO TEAM AT ALL!

Ima wrap this up.  San Antonio is a better choice, they have a football stadium.  Will need renovations, + no state tax.  This state is too expensive 2 live in.  Probably 1 of the reasons Dwight Howard left for Texas.  Texas ain't my dream choice of a new residence but i'd rather live there than this state now.  St. Louis should not lose the rams, besides they put up with their losing seasons.  The Cardinals too.  L.A. ain't gonna put up with losing seasons.  So-cal NFL fans are spoiled.  In order 2 keep the fans from jumping on other teams bandwagons & lie like they loved that team all their life is to win the SB EVERY SINGLE YEAR.  Hell even though they lost the SB, lots of SoCals are jumping back on Frisco's bandwagon again    I see a lot of their queer logo again...AND I HATE THAT

And last I heard, the rams have found a spot in Missouri to build a new stadium.  What happened with that?  And they should just renovate, its not 20 years old yet.  And So-Cal got 2 stadiums for USC & UCLA & their both almost 90 years old.  I feel they need new stadiums but haven't heard of them getting any.  The A's & Raiders need new stadiums the most in this state, but people keep fartin around & not doing anything about them.  Bad enuff that the Falcons and Braves are getting new stadiums this decade & those stadiums are young 22 & 18 respectively.  Pathetic!  I hope Cubs & Red Sox fans are laughing at those teams, both their stadiums are over 100 years old & are still using them.

Plus i'm sick & tired of these cheapskate owners using so-cal as an extortion bargaining chip.  Just wanting 2 be here for the wrong reasons.  We got enuff transplants moving here as is.  Don't need anymore.  That's the main reason I DID NOT WANT GAY MARRIAGE in this state.  As its the only place 2 be, of course if that was true then how come lots of people are moving out?  And I wanna GTFO of this state too.  Yes, St. Louis got bigger problems like high murder rates & places that looks like Detroit.  Abandoned houses & buildings.  So-cal DON'T NEED THE NFL.  St. Louis, ALL SALES ARE FINAL!  NO REFUNDS!  Besides the Raiders won a SB for L.A. & there were more Raider fans than Rams fans anyway. 

Wtf. You're all over the place.

[DeeezNuuuts83]

No thanks, I don't want more reasons for traffic to suck.

[Hack Wilson - real]

i hope not....St. Louis deserves it's team.

[Sccit]

i'll take any team at this point....but if we could get the raiders back that would be ideal

[Remedy360]

i'll take any team at this point....but if we could get the raiders back that would be ideal

Yeah, but the fact that the Rams played in LA makes this interesting. I don't see the Raiders moving anytime soon, if you do get a team it'll probably be the Rams. Anyways, as a fan of the Hawks its lame having an NFC West division opponent in St. Louis so I wouldn't mind seeing it.

[DeeezNuuuts83]

USC and UCLA have a big enough fanbase, especially with USC rebuilding and UCLA having had excellent momentum.  We've got football teams haha.

[Sccit]

LA RAIDERS > LA RAMS > LA CHARGERS

[M Dogg™]

At the end of the day, there might be two LA teams. I like the Chargers in SD, I think they fit more of the SD/OC culture. The Rams can comeback, that's fine. The Raiders though are the team that fits the southern half of LA. The Raiders I think will comeback, but I know Rog. Goodell does not want the Raiders there at all. If he would have allowed the Raiders to comeback, they would have left this off season as they are the only team whose lease is up of the teams rumored. They keep signing a one year lease in hopes they can get approved to move to LA. Mark Davis is said to want to move to LA. Al Davis wanted to stay in the Bay. We'll see.

[Sccit]

Fuck it just bring back the LA Dons

[whoisthis]

I don't see the Chargers moving. The Raiders will not move down here. I honestly think though that the NFL won't let the Rams move here. I just do not understand how a place like Tampa or Jacksonville can possibly have professional teams and we're stuck with nothing.

[Halu Sination]

I don't see the Chargers moving. The Raiders will not move down here. I honestly think though that the NFL won't let the Rams move here. I just do not understand how a place like Tampa or Jacksonville can possibly have professional teams and we're stuck with nothing.

It's funny cuz Jacksonville is a team that always gets mentioned when it comes to teams coming to LA, and for no particular reason other than it'd be the least amount of damage control that the NFL would have to do when relocating. Because nobody gives a fuck about Jacksonville other than Jacksonville.

I say take the Jaguars, rename them, and start fresh. Oakland deserves Raiders, St. Louis deserves Rams, and San Diego deserves Chargers.

[M Dogg™]

It makes sense to move a team from the east and move them west. When you have Kansas City and St. Louis in the western divisions, then you know you need more western teams. With that said, I still think the best bet is to move the Raiders. The Bay market is very much 49ers, and San Diego/OC market is very much Chargers. The Raiders have a very loyal fan base, and it's mainly in LA/IE. If the Rams move, I'd like to see the Rams at Hollywood Park and the Raider move to that stadium planned in the City of Industry. That's my dream at least. As for the Jags... well... maybe if the Raiders stay in Oakland, the Jags and Rams move to LA and then you have some balance. Two teams in the Bay and two teams in LA. Actually, I like that better. Rams and Jags in LA, Niners and Raiders in the Bay.

[DeeezNuuuts83]

If the Rams move, I'd like to see the Rams at Hollywood Park and the Raider move to that stadium planned in the City of Industry.

And you will see the business for their Spearmint Rhino boom.