Shaw Says a Deal to Move Isn’t Near : Rams: Three major differences with St. Louis remain to be settled, team president says, and ‘somebody is going to have to give.’

Ram President John Shaw said negotiations between the team and St. Louis have reached a point where “somebody is going to have to give.”

Shaw said a list of 16 major differences has been whittled to three, but contrary to reports that a completed deal with St. Louis is imminent, there isn’t even an assurance that one can be reached.

“I’ve been hearing from the media that an announcement will come in a week or Monday or whatever,” Shaw said. “Apparently I have no credibility, because I’ve been saying we’re still negotiating.

“We haven’t even gotten to the point where it can be presented to ownership for approval. There are still three large issues unresolved and other issues could be raised once documents start to be drafted. We’re also talking to other people about minority ownership.”

The Rams attempted to sell 40% of the team to Columbia, Mo., businessman Stan Kroenke, but for his $80 million, Kroenke also demanded the opportunity to buy out team owner Georgia Frontiere at some point. Frontiere wouldn’t agree to such a deal and to date has only offered Kroenke first refusal rights should she opt to sell.

A St. Louis newspaper reported weeks ago that the Rams had struck a deal with Kroenke, but in fact, Kroenke has taken a step back.

Shaw said Kroenke remains the Rams’ first preference for minority ownership but there have been no recent talks. While declining to be specific about the differences with Kroenke, Shaw said, “He’s got certain needs that are important to him, and I’m not sure we can address them.

“The minority ownership issue is totally up in the air. We’re talking to other people, and that’s all I’d like to say about that now. Selling a minority interest in the Rams will absolutely not have an impact on our negotiations with St. Louis.”

Shaw said the three remaining unresolved issues with St. Louis are: guarantees on permanent seat license sales, guarantees on club seats and luxury box sales and the location of the proposed practice facility for the team. But he declined to detail his differences with St. Louis on each issue.

The permanent-seat licensing program, in which fans pay a one-time fee for the right to purchase season tickets, is critical to the deal because St. Louis hopes to raise at least $60 million from it to cover major costs associated with the move: $30 million the Rams would owe the city of Anaheim for stadium improvements completed in 1980, $15 million for a practice facility and $15 million in expected NFL relocation fees.

The 101 luxury suites and 6,550 club seats in St. Louis’ new 70,000-seat domed stadium have the potential to generate about $12 million annually for an NFL tenant--if they are all leased and sold.

On a recent visit to St. Louis, two Ram officials toured six potential practice facility sites. FANS, Inc., the St. Louis group negotiating with the Rams, has proposed a 400-acre complex owned by the county’s pipe fitters union because transforming the existing buildings into a training complex there could be done for about $10 million.

But Shaw reportedly was not happy with that site, because its North County location would be at least a 50-minute drive from where he expects most players to live, in the West County.

“We both know where we are, and somebody is going to have to give,” said Shaw, who has yet to visit St. Louis during these negotiations. “I’m sure we’ll handle these differences as we did the others and either send lawyers there or do it by conference call.

“We’re running out of time. Even if we were to make some progress, though, I know there is no way we will have an announcement in the next week. I would say somewhere within the next 30 days, or otherwise we won’t get it done.”

Under NFL bylaws, any team wishing to move for the 1995 season must notify the league and submit a proposal for transfer at least 30 days before the annual owners meetings March 12-17 in Phoenix.

While details of a possible move to St. Louis occupy Shaw’s time, the future of Coach Chuck Knox and his staff and the possible hiring of a general manager also have to be resolved.

“I will be meeting with Chuck in the next couple of weeks,” Shaw said. “(His future) is something we’re going to discuss with ownership. There will be a lot of football decisions made in the next month.”

* Times staff writer Mike Digiovanna contributed to this story.