California State Senator & Chair of Senate Government Organization Committee,  Isadore Hall, Calls on NFL Owners to approve bringing an NFL team to Inglewood

             Two decades without professional football is undoubtedly too long for the entertainment capital of the world. For decades, Los Angeles was the best location for sports and entertainment. When The Forum was home to the Los Angeles Lakers, Inglewood - then known as the City of Champions - was the sports capital of Southern California. In honor of this source of local pride, spontaneous victory parades through streets adorned with purple and gold banners were the norm. The City of Champions Revitalization Initiative hopes to bring that spirit back to Inglewood in the near future, turning it back into a regional hub for sports and entertainment.

            This history can be explained by the suburban city’s perfect location not too far from downtown LA and Hollywood, adjacent to the LAX airport, in the epicenter of three freeways, and surrounded by beautiful beach cities - all of this plus famous LA weather. A few years ago, a development plan was approved for a 238 acre mixed-use destination in the heart of Inglewood. The original plan, spearheaded by Stockbridge Capital Group, included 890,000 square feet of retail space, 780,000 square feet of office space, 2,500 new residential units, a 300-room hotel, a 6000-seat performance venue, and 25 acres of public parks. After some negotiations between the primary developer and Stan Kroenke - owner of the Rams - the project has been expanded to include a 60 acre privately-financed grand stadium as its centerpiece. This centerpiece stadium could host football, soccer, or any other sports and entertainment event.   

            There is a solid stadium plan in place that is more than ready to go forward with commitment and dedication not only from the developers, but from the public as well. The 60 acres of land are ready for construction of a state-of-the-art, 80,000-seat, first-class stadium which could house an NFL team by 2018 and join the NFL Network and NFL.com headquarters already located in Los Angeles. The stadium will enhance opportunities for both NFL and Los Angeles; it will be big enough to host not one but two teams, hold a wide variety of large-scale and even world-class events, and benefit from the huge LA media market. The nation’s second largest market is ripe in Los Angeles for a strong and successful NFL franchise, especially at what could be the best, newest and most important sports venue on the west coast.

            Given the history of taxpayers footing the bill for myriad stadiums throughout our nation, critics have reason to be concerned over any new stadium—but they should know that this stadium project is different from most. Over the last 20 years, the cost of building new stadiums or renovating existing ones have mostly been billed to taxpayers. In 1996, Hamilton County caved in to Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown’s threat to move the franchise and agreed to finance over 80%, or $555 million, of the eventual Paul Brown stadium. The consequences of this finance deal were disastrous and can be felt to this day – 15 years after the stadium’s completion in 2000. Per the Wall Street Journal, residents of Hamilton County saw budget cuts to youth programs and judicial courts as a direct result of this unfair financial deal. In a more recent example, Miami Marlins owner Jeff Loria in 2009 publicly shamed Miami-Dade County into funding over 80% of the Marlins Park by framing it as a as shovel-ready project  being hindered by politicians. Ultimately, the county had to quickly produce $500 million for construction through a series of massive bond sales, the public payments for which will top $2.4 billion by 2048.

            However, comparing the potential Inglewood football stadium to the above examples is akin to comparing apples to oranges. Since the project is entirely privately funded, there is no concern about wasted taxpayer dollars or public subsidies for land development or construction. The project is financially secure. In other words, the city will simply reap the benefits of a stadium while bearing little-to-no costs. The city and development company have also been cleared through the California Environmental Quality Act after they underwent an environmental impact study. The project was green-lit. Financial and environmental barriers have already been overcome, and 20,000 signatures have already been collected and submitted to get the City of Champions Revitalization Project on the Inglewood municipal ballot. We are confident the ballot measure will have widespread support and voter authorization.

            As eager as Los Angeles is to get its Rams back, we are aware that there is a process involved in moving an NFL team to a new city. Inglewood city leaders and I are committed to observing this process in an orderly fashion and following relocation guidelines. This week, I plan to introduce a state resolution in the California State Senate formally calling on the 32 NFL owners to vote to authorize a team, whether it’s the Rams or any other, to come to Inglewood. We are aware that these procedures are in place to protect teams from unsuccessful ventures and prevent them from becoming lame ducks. Quite a few stadium plans failed over the years trying to bring NFL back to Los Angeles, but the difference is that none of them were backed by a current NFL owner who is actually capable of moving the team to the country’s second largest market while privately funding the transition and priming the city for reception. Stan Kroenke is willing to put his energy, skills, and money into this project. I urge you, the NFL owners, to consider the benefits of this transition and support this mutually beneficial venture.

            All throughout Los Angeles County, residents are extremely enthusiastic and rallying around the idea of a stadium and a football team coming to the Los Angeles-area. Not only will it benefit NFL, but it will be a step in the right direction for the Inglewood community and Los Angeles as a whole. I have been talking with neighborhood leaders and community stakeholders; they are all on board and excited for the possibilities, employment opportunities, potential revenues, and prosperity. They are thrilled to begin the revival of the City of Champions. Hundreds of people have reached out to my office and have urged me to continue advocating to bring NFL to Inglewood. I am committed to do what it takes, with full support from the City Council and Mayor James Butts, to put Inglewood back on the map as home of truly great sports and entertainment.