Rams’ Inglewood stadium plan could get a major push tonight

St. Louis Rams’ owner Stan Kroenke’s hopes to build a privately-financed 80,000-seat football stadium on the old Hollywood Park race track site in Inglewood could get a major push tonight.

The proposal will be examined this evening by the Inglewood City Council, at which time the council has three options: Put the proposal on the June 2 general election ballot, reconvene in 10 days to either adopt it outright or put it on the June 2 ballot, or adopt it outright and bypass a vote.

 

Although Inglewood Mayor James Butts initially said the council would likely carry the proposal over to its March 3 meeting, that plan might change after the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers announced last week a partnership to build a shared stadium in Carson. With time of the essence now that a competing stadium proposal is on the table, Inglewood may look to expedite the process.

 

Kroenke’s stadium would be an addition to a large-scale plan to redevelop the 290-acre site that includes offices, restaurants, hotels and residential units. That project was approved in 2009 and has already begun construction. 

 

Kroenke has been mum throughout the process, leaving some to wonder if he truly has his heart set on moving the Rams back to Los Angeles or if this is simply a ploy to motivate Missouri leaders to help build him a new stadium in St. Louis.

 

It could also be he is waiting until the Inglewood project is approved before making any official statements,

 

Depending on what happens tonight, approval could come much sooner than originally thought.