Task Force Shifts Gears to New Stadium for Rams

Sports agent Leigh Steinberg and Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly will have a simple question for Ram President John Shaw when the three meet today: If Anaheim were to construct a football-only stadium, would the Rams stay?

“It is starting to become apparent that the Rams or any other NFL franchise interested in Orange County will require a new stadium,” said Steinberg, co-chairman of the Save the Rams task force. “We’re now in the process of actively exploring the potential for a new stadium.”

Save the Rams’ latest plan: Build a football stadium on the Anaheim Stadium lot and demolish the old stadium.

This represents a drastic shift in strategy for the Orange County group, which had hoped that a $60 million renovation of Anaheim Stadium, converting it from a multipurpose to football-only stadium, would dissuade the Rams from moving to St. Louis or Baltimore.

But with both cities offering luxurious, publicly funded stadiums and lucrative lease terms, Steinberg believes this is the only way for Orange County to compete for the Rams.

Though Anaheim and the Angels are believed to be close to a deal to construct a baseball stadium next to the current facility, Steinberg believes there’s enough room on the site to build a football stadium and high-rise parking structure to accommodate both teams, demolish the old stadium, and proceed with plans to turn the area into a sports entertainment center.

Yes, there would be major logistic problems: Where would Ram and Angel fans park during construction? Would the Rams or Angels have to find a temporary home? And, of course, there is the question of who would pay for such a project, which would cost from $200 million to $300 million.

They are questions without answers for now. But Steinberg said a number of corporations “in the field of entertainment,” and several individuals who hope to purchase a minority share of the Rams have expressed interest in investing in a stadium project. A Disney official said last week the company wouldn’t “rule out” participating in a sports complex development.

Steinberg also said he will continue to seek the input of the NFL, which has discussed the possibility of a joint public/private venture to build a stadium in the Los Angeles area.

But working against the efforts of the Save the Rams task force is the fact that their idea is only in the conceptual stage, while St. Louis, which has a stadium under construction, has offered many more specifics and been involved in deeper negotiations with the Rams.

“I can’t tell you if this (new stadium project) is possible, but I’d be able to tell you in the next couple weeks,” said Jack Lindquist, Save the Rams co-chairman. “If it is possible, we’d be happy to get into serious and specific negotiations with the Rams on how this could be done, when it could be completed.”