Tweet
Is NFL team on fast track to L.A.?
L.A. stadium developers make pitch to O.C. audience.
Randy Youngman
Columnist
The Orange County Register
ryoungman@ocregister.com
Comments 0| Recommend 1
NEWPORT BEACH – Could an NFL team relocate in Southern California as soon as next season?
John Semcken, project manager for the proposed $800 million NFL stadium in the City of Industry, looked around the ballroom at Big Canyon Country Club on Friday night and hesitated before dropping that provocative possibility into his presentation to the invitation-only audience of Orange County movers and shakers.
Semcken paused, because he knew a few local media had infiltrated the room. Nevertheless, he continued his thought, probably because he also knew there were a few listeners capable of paying for $290,000-a-year private suites if the 75,000-seat stadium ever gets built on the proposed 600-acre site near the interchange of the 57 and 60 freeways.
"We could have a team here as early as next year," Semcken said.
OK, now the obligatory fine print.
First, the litigation against the stadium developer — Majestic Realty Co., owned by billionaire Edward Roski Jr., who was also on hand Friday night — has to be settled. (The City of Walnut, and a group of Walnut residents, have filed separate lawsuits against the project, seeking a new environmental-impact study. Negotiations are continuing, with former California attorney general John Van de Kamp mediating.)
"We're going to be done by the end of September, one way or another, with approval for the stadium," Semcken said, saying he was confident the state Senate would approve environmental waivers on the project if there isn't a settlement with litigants by Sept. 29. "Then it's a matter of which (existing NFL) team is going to come.
"There are a lot of teams whose leases are up and a lot of teams whose revenues are down."
Neither Semcken, nor Roski, would name which teams are on their list of possible tenants, but various published reports have included the Chargers, Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings and — uh-oh — St. Louis Rams as those possibly interested in relocating.
But how could a team relocate as soon as 2010 if the stadium will not be ready to open until 2013?
"Once we have an approved stadium, we can offer it to the NFL," Semcken said. "The team could move immediately, play temporarily in the Rose Bowl or play temporarily in the Coliseum ... then move into the new building in 2013 when it's completed."
Why would a team move before the stadium is built?
"Once a team decides it's going to move, it's going to have to move right away," Semcken said. "It won't be able to sell any tickets or sponsorships anymore."
"A team won't announce it's going to leave," Roski added. "They'll have to move a day ahead of time."
Remember how the Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis in the middle of the night in 1984? Same concept.
Roski, a co-owner of the Lakers and Kings and the key developer of the privately financed Staples Center 10 years ago, also headed the ownership group that lost an NFL expansion team to Houston in 2001. But he is confident the NFL will steer a team to his new stadium in the City of Industry, because his proposal is no longer tied to the antiquated Coliseum.
He has spent $12 million of his money in the planning process, and he says the league — motivated to return to the second-largest media market for the first time since the Rams and Raiders bolted in 1994 — already has invested at least $10 million conducting its studies.
Saying there are 111/2 million residents within a 30-mile radius of the new stadium site, Semcken points out the NFL advised Roski's group to plan a stadium that would house two NFL teams at the same time.
But the stadium project is called "Los Angeles Football Stadium" (see www.losangelesfootballstadium.com for more details). So why were Roski and Semcken in Orange County the past two weeks pitching their proposal?
"Because we don't want people in Orange County to think of it as an L.A. stadium, especially because it's closer to Orange County," Semcken said. "The site is 14 miles from Disneyland and 22 miles from downtown Los Angeles."
There also are a few people in Orange County with deep pockets. That might have something to do with Roski's interest, too.
Maybe it is going to happen this time. If so, may I add my two cents: Anybody but the Rams.
Contact the writer: ryoungman@ocregister.com
L.A. stadium developers make pitch to O.C. audience.
Randy YoungmanColumnist
The Orange County Register
ryoungman@ocregister.com
Comments 0| Recommend 1
NEWPORT BEACH – Could an NFL team relocate in Southern California as soon as next season?
John Semcken, project manager for the proposed $800 million NFL stadium in the City of Industry, looked around the ballroom at Big Canyon Country Club on Friday night and hesitated before dropping that provocative possibility into his presentation to the invitation-only audience of Orange County movers and shakers.
Semcken paused, because he knew a few local media had infiltrated the room. Nevertheless, he continued his thought, probably because he also knew there were a few listeners capable of paying for $290,000-a-year private suites if the 75,000-seat stadium ever gets built on the proposed 600-acre site near the interchange of the 57 and 60 freeways.
"We could have a team here as early as next year," Semcken said.
OK, now the obligatory fine print.
First, the litigation against the stadium developer — Majestic Realty Co., owned by billionaire Edward Roski Jr., who was also on hand Friday night — has to be settled. (The City of Walnut, and a group of Walnut residents, have filed separate lawsuits against the project, seeking a new environmental-impact study. Negotiations are continuing, with former California attorney general John Van de Kamp mediating.)
"We're going to be done by the end of September, one way or another, with approval for the stadium," Semcken said, saying he was confident the state Senate would approve environmental waivers on the project if there isn't a settlement with litigants by Sept. 29. "Then it's a matter of which (existing NFL) team is going to come.
"There are a lot of teams whose leases are up and a lot of teams whose revenues are down."
Neither Semcken, nor Roski, would name which teams are on their list of possible tenants, but various published reports have included the Chargers, Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings and — uh-oh — St. Louis Rams as those possibly interested in relocating.
But how could a team relocate as soon as 2010 if the stadium will not be ready to open until 2013?
"Once we have an approved stadium, we can offer it to the NFL," Semcken said. "The team could move immediately, play temporarily in the Rose Bowl or play temporarily in the Coliseum ... then move into the new building in 2013 when it's completed."
Why would a team move before the stadium is built?
"Once a team decides it's going to move, it's going to have to move right away," Semcken said. "It won't be able to sell any tickets or sponsorships anymore."
"A team won't announce it's going to leave," Roski added. "They'll have to move a day ahead of time."
Remember how the Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis in the middle of the night in 1984? Same concept.
Roski, a co-owner of the Lakers and Kings and the key developer of the privately financed Staples Center 10 years ago, also headed the ownership group that lost an NFL expansion team to Houston in 2001. But he is confident the NFL will steer a team to his new stadium in the City of Industry, because his proposal is no longer tied to the antiquated Coliseum.
He has spent $12 million of his money in the planning process, and he says the league — motivated to return to the second-largest media market for the first time since the Rams and Raiders bolted in 1994 — already has invested at least $10 million conducting its studies.
Saying there are 111/2 million residents within a 30-mile radius of the new stadium site, Semcken points out the NFL advised Roski's group to plan a stadium that would house two NFL teams at the same time.
But the stadium project is called "Los Angeles Football Stadium" (see www.losangelesfootballstadium.com for more details). So why were Roski and Semcken in Orange County the past two weeks pitching their proposal?
"Because we don't want people in Orange County to think of it as an L.A. stadium, especially because it's closer to Orange County," Semcken said. "The site is 14 miles from Disneyland and 22 miles from downtown Los Angeles."
There also are a few people in Orange County with deep pockets. That might have something to do with Roski's interest, too.
Maybe it is going to happen this time. If so, may I add my two cents: Anybody but the Rams.
Contact the writer: ryoungman@ocregister.com
Comment