Approval is granted for new football stadium in Los Angeles
On Feb. 24, the Inglewood City Council made a stunning announcement. The members of the committee approved the idea of building a new 80,000-seat football stadium in Los Angeles. When the news was mentioned in the Los Angeles Times, a huge sigh of relief surrounded a city that has not housed a professional football team since 1994.
The Rams and Raiders were the last two NFL teams that played in Los Angeles. In 1995, both franchises left the “City of Angels,” as the Rams re-located to St. Louis and the Raiders returned to Oakland for the first time since 1981. When the Raiders were established in 1960, Oakland was their home city for over two decades.
Before this decision was made, the Raiders and San Diego Chargers proposed a plan to share the stadium once the construction is complete. MetLife Stadium is the only other NFL venue that hosts two tenants, the New York Giants and the New York Jets. Both New York teams also shared Giants Stadium from 1984-2009.
The St. Louis Rams are another team interested in possibly re-locating to Los Angeles. The Rams organization still has an association with their former stomping grounds. Rams owner, Stan Kroenke, is a member of the Hollywood Park Land Co. development group. Kroenke, who has owned the Rams since 1995, is one of the developers who will help bring this facility to life.
The cost of the facility currently stands at an estimated $1.86 billion. Construction is projected to start by the end of this year. Proponents said that it is important to approve the concept as soon as possible to avoid delays in the redevelopment that is already underway. The stadium is expected to open before the 2018 football season.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/lawmakers-approve-los-angeles-stadium-plan-report-082144844–nfl.html
