The City Of Stadiums

There are the potential facilities, without named tenants, in City of Industry and AEG’s Farmers Field across the street from L.A. Live.

Those have been on the dreamscape for years now. Recently added is a potential $1.7 billion stadium in Carson that would house the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers, which are negotiating with their host cities for better digs.

Finally, there is a $2 billion stadium in Inglewood, backed by St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke, which would be built across the parking lot from the Forum.

The Inglewood City Council unanimously approved the plan Feb. 24, likely motivated by the announcement a few days before by the Chargers and Raiders. Kroenke has not announced that he would bring the Rams to L.A. from St. Louis, where city officials are working to come up with a suitable stadium deal.

However, of all the stadiums, this one has a distinct advantage: it would not need to jump the hurdles of a voter initiative and environmental reviews of issues like noise, traffic and air pollution. Kroenke is part of the Hollywood Park Land Co. development group that is promoting the project.

The property has an existing redevelopment plan for the 238-acre site of the former Hollywood Park horse track, and the council just voted 5-0 to put a stadium on top of it. Kroenke’s project, funded by private capital, would not just include an 80,000-seat stadium but also a 6,000-capacity performance venue, which could match a theatre configuration of the Forum just across the parking lot.

Stadium proponents in Inglewood said it is important to approve the concept as soon as possible to avoid delays in the redevelopment that already is under way. They would like construction to start by year’s end to have a venue ready for the 2018 football season. The Los Angeles area may have the opportunity to bring in three pro football teams, but it is also the market that has seen the Raiders and Rams migrate to more supportive climes.