Agreement gives proposed NFL stadium in Industry a boost

Efforts to build an NFL stadium in the City of Industry took a step forward today when officials there and in neighboring Walnut agreed to settle a lawsuit aimed at derailing the plan.

Walnut had sued the City of Industry to block the stadium, saying it would cause traffic and quality-of-life problems.

Under the settlement, Walnut would get several things from Industry, according to a statement released from the City of Industry.

"Key features of the agreement include additional traffic mitigation and safety measures, noise monitoring and resolution processes, citizen and business working groups to focus on ongoing safety and traffic concerns related to the operation of the project, as well as reimbursement for the City of Walnut’s legal and consulting fees," the statement said. "Further the cities of Industry and Walnut along with the developer will collaborate on securing increased public transit service for event day."

A second lawsuit brought by a Walnut community group has not yet been resolved.

Since the Raiders and Rams left Southern California after the 1994 season, several developers have come forward with grand but ultimately unrealized plans for bringing the NFL back to Los Angeles.

Plans have been floated for stadiums in Carson, downtown Los Angeles, Anaheim and Pasadena's Rose Bowl. But at least for now, the proposal attracting the attention of state and local officials is developer Ed Roski Jr.'s plan to build an $800-million NFL stadium near the junction of the 57 and 60 freeways in the City of Industry.

But football fans should not get their hopes up quite yet.

Even if Roski can clear the remaining legal and zoning thicket, it remains unclear whether such a large project -- which would include retail and office space, as well as practice fields and banquet facilities -- could get construction loans amid the credit crunch. (This issue has stalled several other mega-projects in Southern California, including the Frank Gehry-designed Grand Avenue development in downtown Los Angeles.)

Another big issue is naming rights, which would be a major source of new revenue for the stadium. Amid the recession, companies have shown little interest in big naming contracts at stadiums, including new NFL venues in Dallas and New York.

And then there's the question of whether a team can be persuaded to move to L.A. John Semcken, a vice president at Roski's Majestic Realty, has said that he hopes to have a team committed to the new stadium as early as next year.

But some NFL watchers said that is unlikely, given that much of the National Football League's efforts in the coming months will be focused on avoiding a lockout or strike, as the current players' collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2010 season. If there is a work stoppage, it might further delay the NFL's return to the nation's second-largest media market. The league would be facing sharply declining revenue if the season were to be curtailed or postponed.

In an interview with The Times last month, Roski said that he and his company "are determined to do it."

"The goal is worthwhile, so you have to keep working at it," he said.

--Cara Mia DiMassa and Sam Farmer

Comments

[vision63]

We can only have a team if another one is ripped away from it's current city. I'm still mad about the Rams leaving. They need to put a brand new team in Los Angeles.

[Dale Melton]

If anyone cares, I vote for an expansion team we can call our own.

[Daniel]

Heinz Field sits on just 12.5 acres and cost $280 million to build and is considered one of the crown jewels of Pittsburgh's economic resurgence and redevelopment.

Pittsburgh is hosting the G20 this weekend. They have 7.4% unemployment compared to our 12.2% here.

I ask everyone reading this article. What will do more for Los Angeles?

A) A stadium that costs $800 million in the middle of nowhere?

B)A stadium in the heart of the city that will draw new businesses, create new retail and increase ridership of the public transportation system we're sinking $40 billion of our money into?

Its incredible that the city is actually allowing this. I guess that's what being a billionaire USC grad gets you in this state...EVERYTHING money can buy.

We will regret this day should this move forward.

[kRZYTee]

I agree EXPANSION TEAM- we don't want another hand me down team!! LA needs new & the fans will be there... so many ex raider-rams fans would agree to this.. but City of Industry? 60 & 57 that isn't Los Angeles, thats end outskirts!

[Don]

Pro sports stadiums are a joke, a racket. The make money for politicians and for the owners of the club, but everyone else loses. The new Yankee stadium is providing just 15 new permanent jobs, but it cost $850 Million. How much is lost from increased policing requirements and destruction of the infrastructure such as roads and freeways not designed for huge increases in numbers of people? How about increased pollution and increased littering? Who gets stuck paying for all of those expenses while the club owners get rich?

You, and me, with increased taxes.

We have two great football teams now: UCLA and USC. We have the Dodgers and the Angels. We don't need the NFL.

[My NFL Forums]

So who do you steal a team from??

[Danny Mac]

Finally a reason to get up on sundays. FOOTBALL.

I have no clue why people are against it, if they build it, you will show up.

[LAResident]

There better be plans to get the METRO light rail down there from downtown L.A. before the place even gets built. No one is going to attend games if the traffic at the 57 and 60 gets congested even more. Why can't they build in Norwalk where it's closer to O.C. so everybody can enjoy....and also improve the surrounding area.

[Concerned Citizen]

This project is crazy, City of Industry? Where is that? This should be built in Downtown, where public transit can be utilized.

I hope it fails.

[Tim]

We already have a perfectly good stadium in Downtown Los Angeles, which is a historic landmark, close to two freeways and two light rail lines. This Industry plan is at the crux of two crowded freeways in a smog-choked pocket of the Inland Empire.

Hope this effort does not go through.

[Ed C.]

The problem with those two football teams is that not everyone goes to UCLA or USC.

That is why an NFL team is needed in LA.

[Joejo]

I love the idea finally Ed roski should be praised for not giving up go raiders