A return of L.A. Rams? Owner is said to buy possible stadium site
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NaboCaneNew MemberOPhttp://www.latimes.com/sports/football/nfl/la-sp-nfl-la-rams-20140131,0,3805682.story
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 2012 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.
Vertical Limitforum_veteranSucks for St. Louis fans if true.. If Oakland or San Diego moved to LA at least their team would remain in state.
schmoliootsubscriberIt's part of the racket.
Kroenke could have bought that land for any reason. It's land in LA next to the site of a proposed huge redevelopment of Hollywood Park into a higher end residential area.
Forget a stadium, the land is probably more valuable to build a mall.
But now the officials in STL, who have already offered $125 million to renovate the Edward Jones Dome will now be browbeaten for a few month to get them closer to the $700 million Kroenke wants for a brand new stadium.
Rinse and repeat.
Boik14subscriberWhat is known is that a clause in the Rams' lease at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis is set to kick in at the end of the 2014 season. So long as the stadium hasn't been upgraded to one of the eight best venues in the NFL before that time, the Rams' lease will then become a year-to-year proposition beginning in 2015.
Whats amazing about the NFL is that even when they dont mean to do something wrong (like leave the 2nd biggest market entirely vacant of a team) it seems to work out. Every time a team wants a new stadium they threaten taxpayers with "LA is waiting....". The Vikings did it. The Jets were going to try that after their West Side Stadium proposal failed. Im sure any other team that wants a new stadium will threaten it.
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