Another stadium proposal

Shiny!

Los Angeles and the National Football League love to flirt. But they're afraid of commitment. Billionaire Ed Roski thinks he can solve that problem. In the city of Industry. What are the chances? Not too good, according to Los Angeles Times football writer Sam Farmer.

One of the smartest men in sports business, David Carter of the Sports Business Group, is one of the consultants on the project. Not surprisingly, he thinks the odds are a little better. "I'm bullish," he says. "It's a solid plan from a guy who knows how to get things done."

Carter isn't new to the dance. He helped write the business plan that spurred the ill-fated NFL proposal at the Rose Bowl. In that case, the NFL balked at the expense of a nice stadium and the neighbors balked at pro football fans running roughshod in their neighborhood park.

Industry doesn't have any problems with neighbors. The primary roadblock there is money. Will the NFL step up with a loan? In this terrible economy? Or will Roski put up the whole purse? In this terribly economy? Someone is going to have to blink.

So far, all the blinking has come from government officials. The state has already said no to an $820 million, um, development subsidy, and politicos in L.A. and Pasadena know well the risk to their stadiums if something brand new is built nearby - a point Carter made clear in the Rose Bowl plan. They'll sure do what they can to interfere.

At the very least, the proposal has sparked intrigue - just what L.A. loves best.