Magnolia School Board Will Try to Evict Rams

The school district that owns the Los Angeles Rams’ practice facility said Monday it will go to court this week to evict the team, hoping to have it out by June.

The Magnolia School District board voted unanimously Monday night to begin eviction proceedings. The team’s 15-year lease for the former Juliette Low Elementary School expired Dec. 31, and it has balked repeatedly at accepting a new one.

The point of disagreement has been the Rams’ refusal to accept a clause--which they had in their old lease--that requires them to pay the $1 million or more it would cost to turn the facility back into a school if they move to another city, as they have threatened to do. They want the city--their actual landlord under a complicated three-way agreement between the team, the city and the district--to pick up half the cost.

Rams Executive Vice President John Shaw “has been very clear that he will not leave without a legal push,” Magnolia Supt. Paul S. Mercier said. “I’m rather disappointed they are making us give them the legal push.”

Rams officials were unavailable for comment Monday night. The team has said that on May 3 it will exercise an escape clause in its Anaheim Stadium lease that would allow it to move after the 1994 season. Baltimore, St. Louis and other cities have reportedly made offers for the team.

School district attorney Richard V. Godino conceded that the Rams could use injunctions and other legal maneuvers to delay eviction for months.

“But then they run the risk that right in the middle of the season they’ll have no place to practice,” Godino said.

Anaheim officials said they support the district’s action. The city has offered to pay a portion of the Rams’ lease payment and pay a portion of the conversion if the team agrees to continue playing its games at Anaheim Stadium for 15 more years.

“The Rams have received a proposed agreement that we think is very fair and reasonable, and they have not even given us the courtesy of a return phone call,” City Manager James D. Ruth said. “Everybody is very frustrated (with the Rams). Why should we agree to pick up their costs when they are threatening to leave?”