Leiweke: L.A. May Get Team in 2003

A key principal in a group trying to bring the NFL back to Los Angeles confirmed, for the first time, plans to build a downtown stadium adjacent to Staples Center and outlined a best-case scenario that would have a team ready to play here as soon as the 2003 season.

Tim Leiweke, president of Anschutz Entertainment Group, on Thursday identified South Park as the stadium site--although he did not name specific streets. He said it would require less than 55 acres, originally believed to be the size of the project.Leiweke, who to date has refused to discuss the specifics of the project, broke his public silence in a speech to the board of directors of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

“He wanted to let us know the project is moving along,” said Rusty Hammer, the chamber’s president and chief executive, who was in attendance. “They want to know if they have the support of the business community.

“Everyone that I talked to is very much in support of seeing if this can happen.”

Leiweke, who did not return phone calls seeking further comment, is part of a coalition led by Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz that includes L.A. Avenger owner Casey Wasserman, supermarket billionaire Ron Burkle, and developer Ed Roski. Leiweke and Wasserman will meet with NFL executives next week to discuss the details of bringing a team, and Super Bowls, back to L.A.

Because the league has no plans to expand beyond its current 32 teams, an existing team will have to relocate to L.A. The heavy favorite is the San Diego Chargers, who are already putting the finishing touches on negotiations to move their training camp to Anschutz’s tennis and soccer facility in Carson. That $120-million complex is expected to be completed in time for Charger training camp in 2003.

Although Anschutz lives in Colorado, he has proved he has the ability to navigate L.A.’s choppy political waters to get major projects completed. In September, the City Council approved his plans for a $1-billion, 27-acre hotel and theater development near Staples Center, which he also owns.

Forbes magazine estimated his net worth at more than $9.6 billion, placing him 16th on the 2001 list of wealthiest Americans and 54th on the list of the world’s wealthiest people.

AEG, a collection of 32 companies, manages Staples Center, the Forum, the Kodak Theater, and L.A. Live, a 7,000-seat theater to be built across from Staples.

Leiweke’s speech was as much about AEG’s plans for theaters, shopping centers and downtown housing as a state-of-the-art stadium.

“It was impressive,” said Charlie Woo, CEO of Megatoys and past chair of the chamber of commerce. “Very ambitious. He wasn’t talking about the distant future; he was talking about things that could happen two years down the road.”

Leiweke’s comments come one day after the Los Angeles City Council held a hearing on a massive redevelopment district with the potential to generate billions of dollars in tax revenue, some of which could be used to help clear the land for a downtown stadium.

The plan would allow land acquisitions through condemnation and create a mechanism to capture tax-increment revenues from the 879-acre district including South Park.

“We have seen these type of proposals before,” Hammer said. “But if anyone can do this, Tim Leiweke and this team can bring this thing to a reality.”