City Votes Yes on Report

By a 5-3 vote, the Pasadena City Council on Monday certified an environmental impact report for a proposed $500-million renovation of the Rose Bowl, an essential step in courting the NFL.

The council has yet to vote on whether to adopt a statement saying the benefits of the proposal would outweigh the negative impacts, and whether to approve the concept and submit it to the NFL.

Those votes are expected to take place June 6.

In certifying the report, the council essentially acknowledged that the document was prepared correctly. Had the report not been approved, it would have been a devastating blow that could have knocked the Rose Bowl out of the NFL stadium derby.

Before voting in favor of certifying the report, Councilman Paul Little said, “I’m prepared to certify and have our 10,000-to-1 shot become a 9,000-to-1 shot.”

NFL owners are to meet in Washington next week and will hear the league’s analysis of the four competing concepts at the Rose Bowl, Coliseum, Carson and Anaheim.

League executives had hoped the sites would have completed environmental reports in time for the meetings, but Pasadena City Manager Cynthia Kurtz said the league has been “very sympathetic” about the delayed timeline.

Councilman Steve Madison, who was out of the country and participated in the meeting by telephone, said the council is facing “probably the most significant decisions it’s ever made.”

Madison, who represents the Linda Vista and Annandale communities surrounding the Rose Bowl, voted in favor of certifying the report.

Mayor Bill Bogaard, who voted against certification, said it made no sense to rush the process.

“It’s my opinion that we haven’t done it in the usual and professional way,” he said before the vote.