The future of the NFL in St. Louis is a story we’ve covered before. Now, as Stan Kroenke’s Los Angeles Stadium development begins to take flight, the proponents of the St. Louis Stadium plan received some positive news.
On August 3, 2015, St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Thomas Frawley ruled; City ordinance 66509, codified as Chapter 3.91 of the Revised Code of the City of St. Louis requiring a public vote to use public money for a stadium is too vague and thus. invalid. Judge Frawley issued a 34-page order which concluded that the ordinance has so many “uncertainties” in totality that, “their sum makes a task for us which at best could only be guesswork.” Further, Judge Frawley ruled that the location of the proposed new stadium was in close enough proximity to the Convention Center to be considered “adjacent.”
Opponents of the St. Louis Stadium plan were very disappointed. Opponents feel the public’s intention was undermined though judicial intervention. The ordinance in question was passed by public vote; yet, those citizens will not get to be part of the decision making process on the exact issue they sought to control.
While this is a this is step in the right direction for the proponents of the St. Louis Stadium plan, the fight is far from over. The updated plan is now expected to cost $998 million; approximately $200 of which can be attained through state and city bond proceeds.
It is noteworthy that part of the equation to reach the $998 million goal, approximately $250 million is expected from current team ownership. Stan Kroenke, the current owner of the St. Louis Rams, has remained publically silent on his intentions regarding the future of the St. Louis Rams. However, on August 11, 2015, Kroenke made a pitch to the NFL owners for his proposed Los Angeles Stadium Project. His actions clearly suggest his desire to relocate the St. Louis Rams to Los Angeles. Why would Kroenke contribute $250 million to a project that is in competition with his own project? Perhaps this will be the next hurdle fans of professional football in St. Louis will have to clear.