NFL stadium battle moves online with new website opposed to downtown concept
Two months ago, local billionaire Ed Roski Jr.'s grand plans of returning the NFL to the Los Angeles region encountered an interesting twist. A former business partner, Tim Leiweke, and Casey Wasserman announced they were exploring their own idea of building a $1 billion NFL stadium next to the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.
As some predicted, Roski (pictured) wasn't the only one gunning for an NFL team in L.A. And some of that jockeying for position has now moved online.
A new website and Twitter account in opposition of the downtown stadium concept were recently started. The site, nostadiumatstaples.com, is a collection of news stories and items relating to the Leiweke-Wasserman plan. It covers everything from questions about L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's tickets from Staples Center owners to the mayor's hopes of luring Comic-Con to the L.A. Convention center (which could be torn down as part of the downtown stadium concept). Leiweke, president and CEO of AEG, which owns and operates the Staples Center, is a political ally of Villaraigosa.
It's unclear who runs the website or Twitter account. The website was created on May 30, according to a website registry. And the tweeting didn't start until June 1. Here's who is behind it, according to a vague description on their website:
We are a group of concerned citizens of the Los Angeles area bringing you current news information regarding the possible development of a 80,000 seat stadium at the Staples Center.
A Twitter message to the group wasn't immediately returned. And a call to a Roski representative wasn't either.
Roski, CEO and Chairman of Majestic Realty Co., has said he won't build his shovel-ready 600-acre, 75,000-seat stadium in Industry until he lands a team.
Note: For more coverage on the prospect of the NFL in L.A., check here.
Email: james.wagner@sgvn.com | Twitter: @jmswgnr @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
I'm happy to see that there's an interest in bringing a team, any team, back to LA...I still think the best venue in the county is Pasadena, but really liked the Irwindale project - it seemed more of a realistic project. A billion dollar stadium next to Staples....not sure - seems like a thought from the past.
Laurence Todd
President
www.pasadenasportshalloffame.org
The bigger story is the one NOT being covered here. While the mayor is under fire from the media for accepting a raft of free Lakers tickets (and who knows what else) from the owners of the Staples Center - and has acknowledged receiving these tickets (and will likely be sanctioned for it by the LA City Ethics Commission or FPPC)...what about every other local, state and federal politician and appointee? Perhaps the Staples' Center owners should open up THEIR books to the public or to the Ethics Commission and let's see who else has been getting freebies...
Now that's a REAL issue.
Let me get this straight: L.A. has record unemployment, a massive budget deficit, political gridlock, burgeoning scandal in City hall and the County, a lame-duck Mayor and a disgraced City Council ... and we're going to tear down the convention center and facilitate a football stadium for the mega-rich in one of the densest parts of town?
This may be a joke, but it sure isn't very funny.
Where are they going to park all the cars for their 80,000 seat stadium? I was just at the E3 Expo and parking was a freaking NIGHTMARE. They’re going to tear out a chunk of the convention center, and not build any new parking spaces. Great idea.