New: Latest on Kroenke, Rams and NFL in STL

[mr.stlouis]

Thank you ROD for being flexible with the times. It truly is the best Ram board.

 

[RhodyRams]

I just called my folks about how much their PSLs were back in 95.

Each seat in 431, Row TT, 1 and 2 was $750 a piece, and only constituted a "right of first refusal"

It's not really the cost of the PSL and game tix...it's the cost of travel and hotel that hurts my wallet

 

[RamFan503]

No one is faulting him for doing WHAT he is doing, it's HOW he's doing it. The fact is that talk of a new stadium before it's time for one is a political non starter in about 49 states right now. If we have to acknowledge that Stan is being realistic, then we have to acknowledge that if the politicians had started talking about this before the election we would have ended up with a bunch of newly elected anti stadium people.

I don't know that all that many separate the what from the how but - fair enough. I agree though that the timing of Jay Nixon's involvement is about politics and staying in office. I'm not faulting him either in that - it's the reality of politics. I do think however that the CVC proposal likely stuck in Stan's craw a bit. I'm also not sure what took place to what looks like kicking them to the curb in all this.

It all seems so convoluted.

 

[RamBill]

Planners announce open-air, riverfront NFL stadium
• By David Hunn

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...cle_e1e77d44-59e1-50a1-87f4-17b56c6d233b.html

UPDATED with details at 12:35 p.m.

Dave Peacock announced plans Friday for a new open air football stadium on the St. Louis riverfront.

"This is about the future … and that we need to fight for what it rightfully ours," Peacock said.

The facility would feature 64,000 seats, with 7,500 club seats. Financing the project, he said, would involve public and private money, as well as seat licenses paid by fans.

"There are ways to source public financing and do it with the same or less burden on the taxpayers," Peacock said.

Gov. Jay Nixon appointed Peacock, former Anheuser Busch president, and Edward Jones dome attorney Bob Blitz to develop a plan to keep professional football in St. Louis.

The new stadium would also accommodate soccer.

Peacock called the project more than a football stadium: "We are talking about a revitalization of our downtown."

Details of financing the $860 million to $985 million estimated cost are included in the report he turned over to Nixon. An estimated $400 million to $450 million would come from the National Football League and the team. An additional $460 million to $535 million would come from public sources, including extending current bonds, brownfield tax credits and up to $130 million in seat licenses.

"Our vision is a redevelopment of the North Riverfront. … There's green area, there's trailways, there's pathways."

Site preparation would begin by June, according to the plan. The stadium would open for the 2020 NFL season.

Peacock said the plan would eradicate blight and turn the area into a crown jewel. Thirty-three buildlings are in the project area, and a majority are vacant, he said. The city owns one-fourth of the land. The plan preserves the 1902 Power and Light Building.

Redevelopment of this area is imperative for the health of the St. Louis community, he said.

Interest rates are pretty low right now. "If you're going to do something, now is sort of the time to do it; money is a little cheaper. … We see a healthy sense of urgency behind this project."

HOK here and 360 Architecture in Kansas City worked on the design, he said.

Bob Blitz recalled that in the 1990s St. Louis built a stadium without a football team. Now, it has a team, with an "obsolete" stadium, Blitz said.

The current Edward Jones Dome would become "a competitive asset to use" to attract conventions, Peacock said.

The news of the stadium plan comes on the heels of an announcement Monday that St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke and an investment group will build a privately financed 80,000-seat stadium as part of a massive revitalization of Inglewood, Calif.

Some have expected the Rams to leave St. Louis for years, since the team engaged in a lengthy battle over upgrades required by its lease with the Edward Jones Dome. Two years ago, the city lost the battle, when a three-member arbitration panel ruled in favor of the Rams’ request for publicly financed renovations worth perhaps $700 million. Dome authorities declined, giving the Rams the option to go year-to-year on the team lease.

Nixon said the Rams have until Jan. 28 to inform the Dome of the team decision.

In a statement Friday, Nixon thanked Peacock and Blitz for their work on the stadium plan and said he spoke with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell earlier this week about the effort.

"This proposal would not only protect St. Louis’s status as an NFL city, it would also provide the opportunity to redevelop underutilized areas of the city and create jobs," Nixon said in a written statement.

An unsanctioned Rams move to Los Angeles could raise the ire of league officials and owners.

Come back to STLtoday.com for more on this story.

Miklasz: St. Louis isn't a bad football town

McClellan: Kroenke joins our Rogues Gallery

Missouri officials won't get in a bidding war

 

[V3]

One big obstacle I see with this is that in that period of time, building codes and other aspects may change - much like building a one story building with plans to go 2. I'm in such a building and the codes won't allow for that second story without major renovations to the structure. Possibly could be overcome, and maybe these particular codes won't change but it doesn't sound like banking on it is a great idea. Dunno.

I also don't think saying 15-25 years down the road we'll actually make it SB ready is a real option.

I understand. It was just an idea and I have no idea if it would be possible or how much extra it add to initial costs. However, adding a roof to it, I don't think is possible at this point. The additional costs, as stated already, are roughly $200-300 million. That's going to require a public vote for the funding and that makes things MUCH more difficult. It'd probably kill the plan altogether.

I was just trying to find a way to defer that $200-300 million cost to a later date when people would be more willing to pay for it. It may not be possible. It was just a thought.

 

[drasconis]

Just a small point here... who decides whether or not negotiations are still in good faith?

I could definitely see a scenario where St. Louis insists they are, and the Rams insist they're just dragging the process out.

And getting 23 of 31 remaining teams to agree with the move (Remember, the Rams themselves are one of the 24) is doable, especially if those teams will make more money from league revenue in the long run.

The issue here is more from a league side of things...if the league agrees that Stand was in good faith with STL then how does it tell SD or OAK that they aren't. Once that bar is lowered that low it won't take much for other teams to say they reached the league required level of "good faith" and now they can move. Right now if I was a team and I wanted to argue this in court the league would point to MN as an example of good faith (it is the most recent one to come to mind). So while agree in a bubble the league may not care and say that it was good faith negotiation by SK, what do they do when SD or OAK or in a few years JAX decide to move...the bar of "good faith" will be so low as to not even be there....I am just not certain that is a level of control the NFL wants to lose.

 

[RamFan503]

I understand. It was just an idea and I have no idea if it would be possible or how much extra it add to initial costs. However, adding a roof to it, I don't think is possible at this point. The additional costs, as stated already, are roughly $200-300 million. That's going to require a public vote for the funding and that makes things MUCH more difficult. It'd probably kill the plan altogether.

I was just trying to find a way to defer that $200-300 million cost to a later date when people would be more willing to pay for it. It may not be possible. It was just a thought.

Yeah - I think most of us are just spit balling right now. I'd like to see a venue though that is pretty freaking amazing and has the ability to bid on the Superbowl. My wife loves St Louis and I think it would be ultra-cool to go to a Superbowl there.

 

[Killgasm]

How are they going to find money for this stadium though? Are some people going to lose their jobs? Are they going to close down some schools? Or are they going to find investors to fund the stadium.

 

[Angry Ram]

When I first saw it, it looked kinda bland IMO. Nothing that really pops. But you know what, being on the riverfront that looks really nice.

Reminds me of how Pittsburgh's stadium is built..

Oh and an MLS team ended up playing there, I'll instantly become a fan.

 

[RamsJunkie]

Would this put us in the top 8 stadiums in the NFL? or does that matter with the new stadium?

 

[PowayRamFan]

Notice how on top of the field the fans will sit. That is going to be one loud ass place. And I hate to say it but this looks WAY more impressive than the St Louis mock-ups. The video is even more impressive. I don't like the apparent lack of tailgating area but the stadium itself is a 72,000 seat palace.

I don't see a huge home- field advantage built in with this stadium, the stadium kinda flows outward, just can't see it being nasty loud in there. No expert, but not thrilled with the generic design, especially viewing the inside of the stadium.

 

[drasconis]

And also what is the average seating capacity for an NFL stadium (ignoring uncle Jerry's penis extension in Texas which would surely skew the average)?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_National_Football_League_stadiums

can't promise it is correct....it would put it in the lower end but with several other new stadiums. I would also assume at this point max seating would be up for negotiation.

Not clear based how it is posted: is it 64K +7.5K suite or 64K with 7.5K of it being suite?

 

[Rmfnlt]

I think the riverfront is the big differentiator between the 2 venues.

Done right, entertainment near a large body of water is usually very attractive to people.

 

[drasconis]

View: https://twitter.com/JjenkzLockdown/status/553616938069655552


View: https://twitter.com/JjenkzLockdown/status/553618205529632768


View: https://twitter.com/JjenkzLockdown/status/553621731022471168

Wonder if that will affect his choice of teams when/if he becomes a free agent?

 

[V3]

Yeah - I think most of us are just spit balling right now. I'd like to see a venue though that is pretty freaking amazing and has the ability to bid on the Superbowl. My wife loves St Louis and I think it would be ultra-cool to go to a Superbowl there.

A retractable roof would be perfect but I just heard on the radio it'd cost an extra $500 million. OUCH! Hopefully that's not true.

 

[ChrisW]

How are they going to find money for this stadium though? Are some people going to lose their jobs? Are they going to close down some schools? Or are they going to find investors to fund the stadium.

The money is already there. As long as nothing new is added, it'll be the Hotel Tax which costs you nothing...unless you go to a hotel in STL.

 

[ChrisW]

A retractable roof would be perfect but I just heard on the radio it'd cost an extra $500 million. OUCH! Hopefully that's not true.

I think $500 million sounds about right in today's dollars.

 

[Faceplant]

I like it, but it needs a retractable roof IMO. Maybe Peacock's group submitted this, in hopes that Stan counters with " Looks good. Put a roof on the sucker so I can bring a Superbowl to St. Lou, and we have a deal." To which Stl can respond..."OK, but you pay half the difference. Let's shake on it." Easy Peasy.....

Erraybody wins!!!

 

[Killgasm]

The money is already there. As long as nothing new is added, it'll be the Hotel Tax which costs you nothing...unless you go to a hotel in STL.

Thanks man!

 

[LetsGoRams]

FYI - as a comparison - Lucas Oil in Indianapolis seats 62,000 I believe. So this seats more than that. I think it can be expanded somehow for larger events to hold more.