The Los Angeles area, which has been trying for the past two decades to land another NFL team, now has a stadium plan ready to go.
Can the St. Louis Rams’ relocation to L.A. be far behind?
The Inglewood City Council on Tuesday approved an 80,000-seat, $2 billion stadium project, with Rams owner Stan Kroenke as a partner. The council passed the plan by a unanimous 5-0 vote, and it will not require public approval or environmental impact studies, expediting the process. The stadium will be part of a 298-acre mixed-use development including homes, stores and a hotel planned for the old Hollywood Racetrack site.
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After the council vote, dozens of people in the crowd started chanting "L.A. Rams! L.A. Rams!” The Rams began play in the NFL in Los Angeles in 1937, but poor attendance and other financial considerations led the team to relocate to St. Louis before the 1995 season. The Raiders, who moved from Oakland to L.A. in 1982, played 13 seasons there before being lured back to Oakland in 1995.
After 20 years in the NFL wilderness, the Los Angeles region’s NFL prospects have changed dramatically in recent days. The Chargers and Raiders announced last Thursday they will pursue a shared $1.7 billion stadium project in Carson, Calif. if negotiations to build new stadiums in San Diego and Oakland fail. A stadium plan for downtown L.A. is also on the table, but does not have a team.
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According to The Los Angeles Times, developers plan to start construction on the Inglewood stadium by December. It could be ready by the 2018 NFL season.
The St. Louis area, however, is not ready to lose the Rams without a fight. City officials are working to find a way to fund a $1 billion stadium on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Any team relocating to the L.A. area would require a three-quarters vote of approval from NFL owners.