Kicking Around the Idea of the NFL in L.A.

Re “3 Sites Identified for Possible NFL Stadium,” Jan. 17:

Here are a few reasons why the Los Angeles Redevelopment Agency is wasting its time and taxpayer dollars.

Its study fails to account for sites outside the city of Los Angeles. As with most large-scale projects in the Los Angeles area, the lack of regional vision and coordination among city and county agencies has led to an inadequate study.

Shouldn’t the agency have looked at competing sites (e.g., the Rose Bowl, Carson, Orange County) to compare them and determine, overall, if any of the city’s proposed sites would remain attractive options for the NFL?

There is no NFL team in Los Angeles -- today, anyway. The NFL has no plans to expand, and the usual speculation will continue as to which existing football team will gain leverage by muttering “move to L.A.” under its breath to its current leaseholders.

Although it seems as if the NFL is anticipating such a move by not ruling out the possibility of a Southland Super Bowl in the next few years, without NFL input the agency is in fantasy land. You can be sure it has studied the region.

Should a current team move, it will need an existing stadium to play in for at least one to two years.

There are really only two viable options there: the Coliseum and the Rose Bowl. With the NFL’s history, the Rose Bowl wins hands down, if Pasadena will have it temporarily (or longer).

B.J. Mora

Rancho Palos Verdes

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I must be missing something. For years, L.A. has been without an NFL franchise. Every six months or so, a new group crows about a new stadium, usually funded with public money. Of course, the new group fails and it is again all quiet on the western front.

Meanwhile, Dodger Stadium sits dark for six to eight months a year. It just so happens that Dodger Stadium is empty during the football season. But I have never read about the potential of Dodger Stadium doing double duty, like the Oakland Coliseum.

Consider: The Dodgers’ home has ample parking. It is the right size. It has the infrastructure. Luxury boxes are in place. What’s not to like? And News Corp. is looking for a buyer for the home team. What am I missing?

Dave Petitto

Palm Springs