L.A. Will Make a Play for Football

A Los Angeles delegation, led by Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas and driven by a united political-civic-business consortium, will try to convince an influential group of NFL owners today that professional football should return to a $230-million new Coliseum and redeveloped area.

NFL owners are meeting here for the next two days to discuss midseason business, and although they will not hear L.A.’s pitch as a full group, the stadium committee, chaired by Carolina owner Jerry Richardson, will get an update on the Coliseum.

“This is the real deal,” Ridley-Thomas said. “And the most hopeful proposition that we have had to present in recent times.

“When we are finished, we expect that they will have a clear sense of the seriousness of the Los Angeles delegation’s presentation, and the fact that it is viable possibility for the return of football. . . . We’re basically looking for a green light from the NFL, the proverbial affirmative nod that we are off to a good start.”

The L.A. presentation, which includes a video and speeches by almost half a dozen city officials, will continue for nearly an hour, possibly taxing the attention span of the stadium committee, which is not expecting a formal proposal.

Members of the stadium committee indicated Tuesday that they will be in no position to respond with any assurances to Los Angeles, although they will provide encouragement. The NFL wants to maintain its united front regarding the Coliseum project, and keep Los Angeles interested in pursuing the return of football.

The NFL delivered a list of 16 items earlier that it expected the Coliseum project to fulfill, and although city officials have already responded to most, the presentation to the stadium committee will not include answers to how the Coliseum project will be financed and who would emerge as owner of Los Angeles’ new football franchise if the NFL approves the Coliseum venture.

“Our task was to get a handle on the cost of the project,” Ridley-Thomas said. “How to get there is something we have not pinned down at this time. We know it will include a combination of things, from the owner to the fans, to the business community, to the city. . . . The first hurdle was to get a fix on what we were talking about.

“Suffice it to say, there have been no deals of any consequence that have been done without public support. The question is, in what form will that take? This is a public resource that is appropriately leveraged, and within the next month or so we should be able to address the ownership issue.”

NFL officials, concerned that Los Angeles city officials might be let down by a lack of response at these meetings, have already cautioned them against having high expectations.

“We understand this will simply be a progress report on what has happened over the past three months, which compared to the previous three years is very very significant--remarkable even,” Ridley-Thomas said. “We will update the NFL on plans for the revitalization of the Exposition Park area, give for the first time details of the new state-of-the-art facility we have planned, and talk about the finances associated with the cost of the stadium.”

Los Angeles city officials have thrown themselves into today’s presentation, according to Coliseum officials, who spoke glowingly of Ridley-Thomas’ efforts to muster such support.

“We won’t object to encouragement in whatever form is offered or rendered from the NFL,” Ridley-Thomas said. “Frankly, we have already received that in the form of an invitation itself from [NFL President] Neil Austrian to speak to the NFL.”

Ridley-Thomas also accepted an invitation from Richardson to tour his new Carolina stadium.

“He challenged us to build even a better one,” Ridley-Thomas said. “And we can do that.”

Richardson’s stadium committee will receive detailed plans for a new stadium to be constructed within the walls of the Coliseum for $150 million. An additional $35 million has been projected to cover architect and other essential fees. And $45 million more has been projected for the redevelopment of the area surrounding the Coliseum, including USC and the Figueroa corridor, which will be one of the main elements of Los Angeles’ proposal.

“The NFL wants an Olympic Games-like atmosphere around a new Coliseum stadium, a celebration tying in USC,” said someone familiar with talks between the NFL and Los Angeles officials. “They want streets closed on game day, a happening in the park hours before the game and then again after the game. They want the area to be inviting.”

Roger Goodell, NFL vice president for football development, was in Los Angeles last week to assist city officials in preparing their presentation to the stadium committee.

“This is another step in the long process of getting football in Los Angeles in a new stadium,” Goodell said. “We have been impressed by the unity and enthusiasm shown by people in Los Angeles working for the return of the NFL.”

The NFL, obligated to return football to Cleveland by 1999, has shown no inclination to expand, which would figure to be Los Angeles’ best opportunity for the return of football. Observers in Cleveland believe the NFL would prefer to move the Cincinnati or Indianapolis franchise to Cleveland to avoid expansion.

“Let’s even assume the physical situation works at the Coliseum and the NFL owners go along with it, the next step will be the NFL telling Los Angeles to prove it,” an NFL owner said. “They will want to see X number of suites sold, X number of club seats, X number of tickets sold. There’s so much to do yet--so much to happen.”