Road Cleared For New L.A. Stadium

NFL News - October 22nd, 2009 - Written by John

The Governator has cleared the way for a multi-million dollar stadium to be constructed in Los Angeles, presumably to attract one of several NFL teams who are in struggling markets.

Per the Los Angeles Times, California Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger signed an environmental exemption bill, the last remaining hurdle to allow the 75,000-seat stadium to begin construction in an area about 15 miles away from downtown L.A. Residents of the area had previously petitioned against the construction of the stadium, claiming the massive project would not be worth the damage caused to the ecosystem, and filed a lawsuit to prevent it. But last week, Senators dismissed that lawsuit, approving the stadium bill with a special exemption and sent it to Schwartzenegger.

The proposed stadium promises to create more than 18,000 jobs and around $762 million in economic growth.

"These are extraordinary times," Senate President Darrell Steinberg said. "An opportunity to create thousands of construction jobs, thousands of permanent jobs."

Developer Majestic Realty Co. has inherited the construction duties and is said to be scheduling future meetings with several NFL teams about possible relocation. Among those teams are local franchises San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers. San Diego seems the most likely of all those teams to move with an indifferent fan base in the area and a need for extra revenue. Seven teams in all will be contacted, said the agency.

But the name that keeps popping up most often is the Jacksonville Jaguars. The league has been dogged for awarding the small market city a franchise from the very beginning, and those criticisms have only grown since. The team has blacked out each of it's first three games and has yet to approach a 75-percent sellout. Game announcers have declined to announce the attendance at several games already because of the anemic tally.

Jacksonville is in the smallest market among all 32 NFL teams. They are 3-3 through week six of the 2009 NFL Football Season and are currently second in the AFC South.

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