School District Will Drop Eviction Suit Against Rams : Dispute: Board OKs practice field lease ratified earlier by team, Anaheim.

The school district that owns the Los Angeles Rams’ practice site decided Monday to drop eviction proceedings against the team, because the Rams have agreed to extend their lease.

Magnolia School District board members met Monday night and officially approved the lease. The City Council ratified it last week, as did the Rams.

“We’re pleased to have this matter behind us,” said Supt. Paul S. Mercier. “It’s unfortunate that it took this amount of time to bring it to closure. I’m pleased that I can go back and focus on educational matters.”

The team’s previous lease expired on Dec. 31. Under it and the new agreement, the city leases the former school site from the school district and sublets it to the Rams.

The district filed suit earlier this month because the Rams had refused to sign a lease agreement extending their tenure at the park, nor had they moved out, Mercier said.

The months-long lease squabble may foreshadow problems for Anaheim officials in their efforts to keep the Rams in the city. Team officials have said they will exercise an escape clause in their stadium lease May 3, then investigate moving the franchise to a location that would be more profitable.

With the lease issue settled, city officials said Monday that they hope to address ways to prevent the Rams from leaving Anaheim.

Councilman Bob D. Simpson said the district’s action “means what has been a major stumbling block has finally been put aside. Now we can focus on the bigger issue on keeping the team here, if indeed that is possible.”

Rams officials could not be reached for comment Monday.

Under the 10-year lease that was approved by the city and Rams last Tuesday and accepted by the district Monday, the Rams have a five-year extension option. Also, the team can break the lease at any time provided it gives at least six months’ notice, pays about $250,000 and restores the facility to its original condition.

The annual rent is $250,000 this year and goes up by $12,500 in each of the next four years, then is adjusted according to the Consumer Price Index.

The city has agreed to subsidize all the Rams’ rental payments over $120,000, which would be about $3.3 million over 15 years. The city has also agreed to cover about half of restoration costs of $1.2 million to $1.5 million.