Rams Ordered to Move Out of Practice Facility

After months of unsuccessful lease negotiations, the owners of the Los Angeles Rams’ practice facility told the team Wednesday it must move out by March 31.

City officials said the Rams imminent eviction from the practice site does not bode well for keeping the professional football team playing at Anaheim Stadium after next season.

“I don’t think it’s a positive sign,” said Anaheim Councilman Bob D. Simpson. “I’m disappointed that it has gotten to this point.”

Officials of the Magnolia School District, which owns the practice site, said the Rams’ refusal to sign a lease extension left them no alternative but to demand that the team vacate the property. The team has created a full-scale practice facility at the site, which was formerly a school.

The city, which leases the site from the district and then sublets it to the Rams, sent a letter to the Rams Wednesday informing them of the district’s position.

“There’s really nothing we can do,” City Manager James D. Ruth said. “They are contractually obligated to move out.”

John Shaw, the Rams executive vice president, said he not seen the city’s notice and would not comment until he received it. But earlier this week, he said he did not believe the city and school district would evict the team from the Lincoln Avenue practice site and so the Rams had not made plans to find a new location.

City officials said Shaw is wrong about the district’s intentions.

“This is about as serious as you can get,” Ruth said. “Nobody is bluffing in this thing. It’s like getting thrown out of your house.”

Despite the letter of notice, city officials said they are hopeful that the district would reconsider its position if the city and Rams agree to lease terms before March 31. The Rams have used the site for the past 15 years.

Magnolia School District Supt. Paul S. Mercier said the district might reconsider its demand to vacate but would make no promises, especially since it had extended its deadline twice before. Furthermore, he said the district already has heard from others interested in leasing the site. He declined to elaborate.

Negotiations between the city and Rams broke down over a clause in the proposed 10-year lease that required the Rams to restore the practice site--formerly the Juliette Low Elementary School--back to the condition it was in before the team moved in 15 years ago.

The Rams wanted the city to share the restoration costs, estimated at $1.2 million to $1.5 million. The city agreed to pay for some of the costs but not enough to please the Rams. The restoration included replacing blackboards, sinks, countertops and other things that had been removed.

Under the proposed lease, the team could leave if it exercised an escape clause after six months for $250,000. But the team objected to paying both a penalty fee and restoration costs to leave the site, both sides said.

The same restoration clause is in the team’s previous lease, which expired Dec. 31, meaning the team must now pay those costs before it vacates the site.

“This process (restoration) must begin immediately,” Mercier said.

Mercier said the district’s notice was not a formal court eviction. But he said he does not believe one is necessary. Because the Rams have not signed the lease, they have in effect made their own decision to leave, Mercier said.

“It seems only logical,” he said. “I would expect the integrity of a professional organization--such as an NFL team--would prompt their swift action and cooperation” in leaving the site.

Rams officials have hinted that they may sue the city over the practice facility dispute. Shaw said Tuesday that the city “breached its contract” with the team by not fulfilling a promise to spend $7 million to upgrade the existing facility or find the team a new one.

City officials dispute that claim and say they only offered to find the team a new facility if the district decided not to offer the former school.

Some city officials have said the Rams’ attitude in the negotiations for the practice site is an ominous indication that they intend to move out of Anaheim after next football season. Rams officials already have told the city they will exercise an escape clause in their long-term Anaheim Stadium lease May 3 and look to move the franchise to another city with greater financial opportunities.

“The Rams have treated the city abominably,” Mercier said. “They showed no respect to the city.”

He said he has received numerous calls from the community supporting the district’s and city’s stance during the lease negotiations.

“I think people are disgusted by what they Rams are doing,” Mercier said.

Times staff writers T.J. Simers and Bill Plaschke contributed to this story.