FOOTBALL: After 22 years, owner Stan Kroenke and his St. Louis Rams will return to their rightful home, Los Angeles.
By Jack Weggeland, Staff Writer
For several years, rumors of a team or team(s) returning or relocating to Los Angeles have created a sense of false hope for the Southern California community. On January 4, 2016 official applications were submitted to the National Football League (NFL) by the San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams regarding their franchise’s relocation to the Los Angeles. “We realized this was our opportunity,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. This opportunity has turned an unimaginable dream into a hopeful reality for Los Angelenos.
On January 12, 2016, Stan Kroenke arrived in Arizona for the NFL’s voters meeting and did not show up empty handed. He proposed his plans to build the world’s most interactive and futuristic stadium, for a projected $1.86 billion. He made the dreams come true for Los Angelenos when the owners voted 30-2 in his favor. The once St. Louis Rams will move to the site of the old Hollywood Park racetrack in Inglewood, California, about ten miles from downtown Los Angeles—the nation’s second largest media market.
Los Angeles is “a difficult place to permit a stadium and build something that we as a league can all be proud of. I think we worked hard and we got a little bit lucky and we had a lot of good people help us,” Kroenke said. “It’s quite a privilege. We’re looking forward to moving ahead on this. The fun part for us really starts, coming in here today and being received like this is wonderful… It’s been a long road, but we made it,” he added.
No hope is lost in regards to bringing a second team to the Los Angeles area. During the NFL meeting between all the league’s owners, they came to a consensus that the San Diego Chargers will be offered a one-year option to join the Rams in Inglewood. The San Diego Charger’s relocation opportunity to Los Angeles arose from their growing problems involving their home field, Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers are currently on a year-to-year lease with their aged stadium which is no longer able to compete with new stadiums around the league. With patience diminishing in the Charger organization, if a deal for a renovation for the current stadium is not in place by next season, Charger owner Dean Spanos may not renew the lease. If the Chargers decline the one-year option to join the Rams in Inglewood, the Raiders franchise is next in line and may take the offer.
No matter the outcome of a second franchise moving to the Southern California area, the Rams will play the upcoming 2016 season downtown at the Coliseum, their home from 1946 to ’79.