Roski's NFL dream a step closer

The cities of Walnut and Industry appear to have settled their differences over Ed Roski's planned NFL stadium. The terms of the deal, which Walnut approved tonight, remain confidential until both cities have ratified them. This should reopen the door to make unnecessary the California Legislature's effort to fast-track the project by granting the plan a waiver from state environmental regulations.

The City of Industry gambit

The budget deal struck by the governor and the leaders of the state Legislature included a provision to allow cities to extend the lifespan of redevelopment zone by 40 years, provided the cities pass 10 percent of their earnings on to the state. Observers argue the provision is designed to help out one specific project, the planned NFL stadium in the City of Industry.

From the Los Angeles Times:

...adding decades to the life of the redevelopment area would allow Industry to use hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to build roads, sewers and other facilities to help accommodate the stadium and commercial projects, said Christine Minnehan, legislative director of the Western Center on Law and Poverty.

The County of Los Angeles has already moved to sue the state to block the provision from taking effect. The San Gabriel Valley Tribune quotes County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky:

Opponents said the state is violating the Constitution because redevelopment money is only allowed to be invested in blighted neighborhoods.

"They've done their job," Yaroslavsky said of Industry's redevelopment agency. "They've removed their blight. Instead you're providing subsidies to private landowners."

LA, NFL continue a courtin'

Officials at Majestic Realty, the company behind the proposed pro football stadium in the city of Industry, claim that they are wooing 7 NFL teams - Jacksonville, Buffalo, Minnesota, St. Louis, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Diego - in their quest to bring a team back to Los Angeles. Minnesota and Oakland are locked in to their stadiums until 2011, and the others are looking for better terms. Whether any of this means a team is likely to break for L.A. remains to be seen - team owners have often used the Los Angeles courtship dance as leverage in renegotiating contracts.

Industry approves $500 million bond

Given the state of the economy, it might seem an odd time to ask voters to approve a half-billion dollars in new borrowing. But the City of Industry did just that Tuesday, and 60 voters agreed to go along with the plan. Only one voter said no to the bond.

The main impetus for the borrowing, despite what city officials say, is a planned $800 million NFL stadium that billionaire Ed Roski wants to build. At least a third of the money would go toward improvements around the proposed stadium site.

Industry also convinced voters to approve no-bid contracts, which should grease the skids if and when a stadium project gets underway, and a new tax on tickets.

The Industry electorate also passed a law that restricts enfranchisement to residents with a permanent city address - hotels excluded.

Big bond, no bid

Just as the state brings its public works projects to a halt, the City of Industry prepares to ask its 82 registered voters to approve a $500 million bond. The money would pay for infrastructure around billionaire Ed Roski's NFL stadium of dreams. As of yet, no NFL team has agreed to move there.

Industry officials also want voters to end the pesky requirement of awarding contracts to the lowest bidder, which could come in handy if and when they start spending that half billion. They also want voters to bar anyone without a permanent address from voting in future elections.

(San Gabriel Valley Tribune via LA Observed)

Los Angeles Steelers?

The Wall Street Journal reports that the family owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers are in the market for potential buyers, a fact that must have Ed Roski's pulse racing.

The chances that the Steelers will separate from Pittsburgh are remote, but you never know what might happen when money and family divisions are involved. After all, just consider what happened to the Wall Street Journal.

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.