Schwarzenegger signs bill boosting NFL stadium plans in San Gabriel Valley

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed a bill to help speed up construction of an NFL stadium in the San Gabriel Valley.

The legislation exempts the proposed 75,000-seat stadium from state environmental laws and is intended to hasten the planning process. The $800-million project by developer Ed Roski Jr. is planned near the junction of the 57 and 60 freeways.

“This is the best kind of action state government can create: action that cuts red tape, generates jobs, is environmentally friendly and brings a continued economic boost to California,” Schwarzenegger said. “This legislation allows us to move forward with the construction of the nation’s greenest football stadium and create thousands of jobs.”

Construction of the 3-million-square-foot stadium complex is estimated to create more than 18,000 jobs, according to a statement on the governor’s website.

The complex will include an orthopedic hospital, a movie and live performance theater, and office and retail space. But even in the wake of the bill signing, the stadium faces obstacles. It remains unclear whether such a large project could get construction loans amid the current 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.

-- Raja Abdulrahim

Photo: A rendering of the City of Industry site, which would contain retail and office space, practice fields and banquet facilities. Credit: Mike Amaya / Meis Architects

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Comments

[Figgins]

If the stadium will be exempt from CA environmental laws, how we be so sure the project will be "environmentally friendly"?

[Chuck Chuckerson]

No stadium in LA !
And it is ridiculous to ignore enviromental laws. Environmental laws have a purpose- to make sure that you study the environment before you build. Not only does it protect animals, but it protects humans. What if you end up building on a toxic waste dump. Not a very good idea !

[Marissa]

do we even have the money to sign a football team right now? I highly doubt it. It sounds like a great idea (had we the money) but shouldn't that money be spent on public transportation? we're just going to see an increase in traffic to go to this multi-entertaining area.....out in the boonies I might add. I think we've got bigger things to deal with that could add jobs otherwise that this city desperately needs.

[Jim]

Ditto to Figgins.

Also with all this money and easing, excuse me, removing of any obstacles has to make you wonder just where it is all going.

[Amy]

Are the tax payers funding part of this project??? If so, wouldn't it be more cost effective to turn the Big A back into a baseball / football stadium?? That way when the football team starts loosing and leaves within 5-10 years we wont have some huge project that we paid for and no one uses...again my comment is assuming tax payer money is involved.

[Martini]

How can it be environmentally friendly when it's overruling all the state environmental laws.
And what assure us that a NFL wants to move to the industrial traffic jammed ugly part of the city. With this economy the "build it and they'll come" catchphrase doesn't apply anymore, just look at all the humongous constructions abandoned in Vegas, all the new housing project demolished in the Victorville area, all those fancy lofts sitting empty in downtown LA. Give me a break!

[sal]

in that area (where they want to build) there are a bunch of parks and a high school...a grade school too, i think. The amount of smog and dust that will be created over the the lengh of project will ruin the environment in most of the SGV...

[nation educator]

That's the way Schwarzenegger! Great Job! Closing schools and opening new NFL stadiums. Well at least our future (the kids) will know how to play football. They might not know how to read, but they will be well entertained! Excellent work! Keep screwing California budget .... Is that our taxes are spend for???

[anonymous]

Why have environmental laws if government officials (in this case, the governor)bypass the will of the people who voted for those laws? To have such a large project go through without being held to all the laws in place is irresponsible - there is a reason why we have environmental laws in place. Why can't Mr. Roski redevelop the forum? The area would benefit from the revenue, the area is already developed and it is centrally located.

[Prehensile]

Because there will be 18,000 less unemployed people cluttering up the landscape?

[Jack Meoph]

Study after study concludes that bending over for a major sport team stadium does nothing but screw the taxpayers, while enriching the owners of the team, and does little if anything for the community that it is being built it, because of all the tax breaks the stadium received up front. If the free market is so great, why is that these owners come begging for every conceivable break they can get when they build a stadium? Why can't they stand on their own investment and play by the rules like everyone else? weaksauce...

[Jill]

If the laws don't apply, what is their incentive to be "green"? Weird.

[David Galvan]

*facepalm*
Try to build a subway in the most transit-deprived and congested part of L.A., and the state demands strict environmental oversight (CEQA)! A football stadium that would be many miles outside the city center and nowhere near public transit, inducing yet more urban sprawl? Let's exempt that from environmental oversight because boy are we ready for some FOOTBALL!

[Ray Roker]

Figgins.. who gives a dam!! BUILD BUILD BUILD... it’s not like they are building a refinery or a landfill!

[L.A. 49ERS]

The 5 Time SB Champs would be welcomed to So Ca.

[Edward]

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been by far the biggest reason why this State is suffering so much economically. I would not trust him for squat!! He's only added so much fuel to this recession we've been having, not to mention that he's the biggest hypocrite and liar too!

[Paul Dacher]

If you have a small manufacturing business, will Arnold exempt you from California's environmental laws?

[Robert]

Why is it necessary to circumvent CA environmental laws? I can only think that if it is necessary to take this step to get a stadium built, then there is something that is being hidden from us. Somebody is going to make a lot of money that would not be made if he/she had to follow the same rules that the rest of us have to follow. It is, as always, nice to have friends in high places.

[Wendy]

Thank GOD I'm moving out of Walnut next year!

[Tofumaker]

What would this mean for property values?

[Seamus Piper]

Because football is more important than the environment. Even in a town with no football team too broke to obtain or support one. But cut funding for battered women shelters... Are we ready to terminate the terminator yet?

[Christopher]

Wow, have you read the other articles regarding this? The environmental process was derailed by 5 individuals protesting and suing the project. To get around these 5 individuals the project was overriden by the State. The project has complied with all other environmental laws required of the CEQA process.

[CE]

Stop crying about it! You know all of you will go there once it opens and say "wow this is nice!"

[KenG]

What a sell-out by the state legislature. They give a waiver to a giant project like this, because it's going to create jobs. You know, like ticket seller, snack seller, all kinds of part-time, minimum wage jobs with health care and education subsidized by the state. Even if they weren't abandoning the environment to enrich a wealthy developer, why subsidize the creation of jobs that weaken the economy?

I would expect this from a Republican controlled legislature, because they don't care about clean air or clean water, or how many people live below the poverty line and can't afford health care. But when I see the Democrats vote for things like this, I find it hard to care about who gets elected, because all that matters to them is getting elected, so they can continue to let stuff like this happen.

[rob]

i hope they build a giant, massive stadium and that they ruin the natural wildlife and i hope the enviromentalist try to protest but their cries for help wont be answered. bunch of green hippy asses

[Rob]

Finally we hear a good news in these sad days.
I wish the project goes forward soon. So many people can use the jobs that bring food and regain pride.

Negative people will always be nagative - just ignore them. Losers always see obstacles.

The unemployment rate is too high. Those who oppose the Stadium have never shown one solution to the situation nor a bit of care.

Something positive is happening, what a great news today.

[Warren]

Ed Roski Jr. should buy the Rams and bring them back to Los Angeles.

[Lance]

Could we hear from an environmental advocate's perspective on the Governor's assessment that the project is "environmentally-friendly"?

[Patrick]

Despite Schwarzenegger's happy talk these are the kind of concessions to corporate and real estate interests that are so repugnant to the people of California. It is a part of our broken government that has been co-opted. And "cutting red tape" is a rather glib way to describe this giveaway. The City of Industry can be properly described as a fiefdom... "a political structure that more closely resembles an alliance of deeply rooted families than a traditional municipality" as an Oct. 20th LA Times article put it. What about the residents of the San Gabriel Valley? I'm from Rowland Heights originally, and the 60 fwy is a lifeline to get to LA or the Inland Empire, and putting a stadium at the 60 and 57 would pretty much jam up the freeway completely, if it isn't already. "Thousands of jobs" are not a big enough carrot to dangle in front of citizens when they find out they won't be able to get to or from these make-believe jobs; they'll be sitting in traffic along with the rest of the make-believe fans of the crappy team whatever franchise is going to field.

[Matt]

Figgins, don't ask such an uncomfortable question.

The stadium will be environmentally friendly because Arnold says so, and the way he's holding that football in the picture must mean he's sincere about it.

[McK]

Exempting CA environmental laws sound like such a bad idea and yet they're claiming that it will be "Environmentally Friendly"?? If it were... why ask for an exemption from the law? I know California is in a bad place right now but do we have to stupe so low as to bypass laws to get money??

[Teaser38]

The coverage over what exactly is being signed is atrocious. The LA Times has really dropped the ball and deserves a faster death than the one it is suffering right now!

I thought the exemption was a very minor one that had to deal with a technicality with state regulations (and maybe a greedy overreaching homeowners association). To say that the stadium is exempt from all (any) environmental laws is silly.

If you'd rather have the site be turned into warehouses with big trucks handling dangerous chemicals going in and out 24/7 (which did have CEQA/EIR approval) instead of a stadium (on a Metrolink line) with maybe 10 events a year as a neighbor, you should have your head examined.

[Charlie Peters]

support HR 1207

[farbie]

Why is the Staduim given free reign and Swartzy stopped the highway from going to Corona from San Juan Capistrano?
Some kind of Environmentalist Arnie is....OH wait he's not. I had visions of grandure! Los Angeles HAD 2 football teams at one time WHY DID THEY LEAVE? Los Angeles never wanted to upgrade any stadium for those teams, why does another city outside of Los Angeles have to build something NEW, AND WITHOUT AN EIR THERE CAN BE ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE. The burden on local streets will in turn mean more maintenance, who will pay for that? San Gabrielenos? Los Angeles Tax payers? I know add an extra tax on the local business owners to keep the roads from falling apart this will encourage new business to open up shop!
This means that pollution from all the traffic a NFL Team can bring means nothing, the impact of the increased traffic means nothing, the oil in the parking lot means nothing, the trash left in the parking lot means nothing. These few things end up in the storm drains and go right out into our local oceans to cause the beaches to close due to increased pollution levels.. Surfers can't surf, Fish can't breathe, Birds end up eating trash, all in all the beaches will have to have more Voulenteer Clean Up Days. Enjoy life in Southern Kal-E-forn-ia because the environment for the future means nothing to our Governor.

[Kimbo]

Since when does having a football stadium become more important than the health and quality of our lifestyle? The jobs to be created will be; minimum wage and part time with no health benefits. This is the equivalent to opening 10 McDonald's restaurants in the same space. Except they don't have to comply with our environmental standards of air-pollution control, waste removal, traffic, etc...

[mike d]

1) This project had an EIR written and adopted for it, with tons of mitigations that are required to build it. The environment is not being ignored.

2) "...do we even have the money to sign a football team right now?" Who is this "we" you are talking about. Taxpayers won't be building this stadium or buying a team.

3) "...out in the boonies...?" There is life east of the 605 - and of a lot of it. This stadium would be central to ALL of Southern California, not just LA. There aren't any sites that are plausible (physically or politically) near downtown LA (the NFL has rejected the Colosseum numerous times). Plus there is a metrolink station less than a mile from the proposed stadium.

[Angel]

Do us proud Mr. Roski...

[ernesto]

Does anyone want the Raiders or Rams to possibly return to LA?

[Melanie]

wonderful just add to the crazy traffic of the 57/60 interchange on game days. not okay.

[Jonathan]

It's environmentally friendly to skip the environmental review?

Nice.

[MP]

Aside from my worries about the traffic conditions, this is a great venture. It's about time we have some investments made to bring a football team to LA. I mean, come on, WE'RE IN LOS ANGELES!!! Think of all the tax revenue that would be generated. Screw the animals, they do nothing for us in that particular area but just take up space and give activists something to bitch about... and I highly doubt there is toxic waste, Chuckerson...

YES TO STADIUM IN LA!! WE NEED MORE JOBS AND MORE REVENUE!!!

[BringNFLBack]

Instead of building a stadium in the outskirts of L.A. we should demolish the Coliseum (or Hollywood Park) and build something new there. If you’re going to bypass California environment laws; why not do it somewhere where there’s already a trashy parking lot with seagull droppings.

[hippy hater]

About time. I don't care how many squirrels, birds or trees get cut down. The biggest problem facing this great nation is it's second largest city not having a football team. Adrian Peterson, time to shop for an LA mansion. Can't wait for kick off!

[Peter Venti]

NO NFL STADIUM IN LA!!!!!!!
We already have the Coliseum and Rose Bowl. This is just another waste of money, not to mention the irony in an environmental exception. NO, NO, NO! I am strickly against this. Please do not let this happen!!!!!

[Mike Hawk]

If LA is going to get a football team, why not have it located in the city of Los Angeles? There is plenty of land available in the San Fernando Valley. Otherwise don't call them by the name of Los Angeles. This reminds me of the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim.

[William]

I personally don't think we need the Raiders back as some of you have commented. ALL Raiders fans are nothing but lowlife gang banging scumbags that destroy property, and cause nothing but trouble!!

[LEXUSRY]

THAT IS THE BEST NEW OF THE WEEK. NOW WE CAN GET PEOPLE GO BACK TO WORK, KEEP THE ECONOMY MOVING FORWARD, MORE INCOME MONEY FOR THE CITIES AND STATES TO KEEP THEM OPERATING, AND LESS PROTESTING

[Mike]

Listen people, you guys should really read the facts before commenting on this proposed stadium. THE FACT is they already completed several environmental reports. The city of Walnut is trying to delay and in fact, stop it, by contesting the environmental reports.

The City of Walnut were using tactics to stop the building of this stadium at all costs, NOT TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT!!!!!!

Thankfully the state saw what was happening, and streamlined the process. The builders of this stadium have jumped through hoop after hoop, and its good to see they finally have a clear path to build this thing.

[Frank]

This is awful!

Why are we promoting sprawl and traffic? A stadium should be in the urban center or it shouldn't exist. There is no way that a significant number of fans could travel to the 57 and 60 without cars. Put the stadium by Union Station or Central LA off of the Metro, and we can promote an NFL team without ruining the traffic system.

No Stadium out of the City Center!

[D]

it would be much better if people would actually do some research before commenting.

EIR's were done on the property as it was scheduled to be an industrial site. the Environment is not being ignored. the only reason there was to be a new EIR was because 8 homeowners in walnut were trying to extort money from the developer and wanted him to build a domed stadium to mitigate noise and light pollution on game days. To show how dumb these 8 people were, they were on a mission to also mitigate blimp noise! you know, those noisy blimps that clog our sky's.

Melissa, in regards to the traffic issue, get over it. you can deal with traffic 8 times a year. Also, the new HSR station will be a 1/4 mile from the stadium.

[This is plain wrong!]

Money talks. And I think that Ed Roski's clearly speaks louder than most, for sure more than mine. If the rule of law is that you do an EIR for a project, exempting it means Mr. Roski has access to elected officials and is special. No doubt these same elected officials will have very liberal access to events at the sports venue, and somehow that is legal. I don't care about football, I care about the safety of drivers on and the availability of lane space on the 57/60 and the 57/60 interchange. An EIR would have addressed that, probably did, but now they won't have to open their wallets to cover all costs. So when the 57/60 ultimately grinds to a complete halt on game days (or an untold number of live performance theater event days), who will be on the hook for making the freeway improvements? You've got it, the taxpayer, with our gas tax dollars going to making the newly required freeway improvements. So don't tell me that Mr. Roski and his investors will be "paying for everything". Its not going to happen, keep an eye your wallet, not that you can do anything about it, you don't have the access to elected officials that Ed has.

[j]

wow..i thought we are in recession?? how about spend that money to jobless people??? build a new company that could able to hire this people..i really feel bad about them. god bless our country

[K.C]

First, for a project this size to be exempt from having to file an Environmental Impact Report undermines the governor's claim that a stadium will be "environmentally friendly". Without conducting an EIR, they would have no way of knowing! This is a mockery of environmental laws that are established to provide the public with information about the health and environmental impact of development and a formal way to express their concerns. Essentially, the governor is keeping the public uninformed and gagging environmentalists so that he can pretend that he's doing something to reduce unemployment and generate money for California's economy. But will this actualy make money for California, or will it just tansfer it from one part region (say Oakland) to another (Los Angeles)? The key here is not whether this will create jobs, but will this attract foreign investors that will pump some serious money into California's economy.

Second, having a clean environment does not have to come at the cost of having a productive and thriving economy. They go hand-in-hand.

[Richie Torres]

That's all good for a team to come to ca. But, don't bring those cheesing raiders back over here they are all cry baby's just like al davis.......

[Richie Torres]

Bring the Rams back a real man's team.....

[JD]

Two Environmental Impact reports have already be fully completed for the proposed stadium. That is why the governor stated that the law suit was frivolous. Sometimes you just can't reason with idiots, such as the eight Walnut residents that didn't want to settle. BTW, they held out in order to get a dome over the stadium! I suppose they forget that we really never get any substantial amounts of rain. Their idea would have actually increased our carbon footprint.

Check this link out if you'd like to read the report for yourself.

http://www.ci.diamond-bar.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=849

[apalled in l.a .]

L.A TIMES HEADLINE ON OCTOBER 12TH 2009
"Schwarzenegger vetoes bill restricting insurers' ability to cancel policies of sick patients "

L.A TIMES HEADLINE ON OCTOBER 22nd 2009
"Scwarzenegger signs bill boosting NFL stadium plans in San Gabriel Valley"

You should be apalled too. His priorities lie where the money is at .
Instead of going back and forth about which team u want here etc...
Pay attention to what is REALLY going on people !

[Jack]

You guys can have the redskins. We here in Washington will take our chances with the expansion team. Must take owner too.