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The Rams, Raiders, And Chargers All Applied To Move To Los Angeles
The Chargers, Raiders and Rams have all officially applied to move to Los Angeles, marking the next step in a seemingly endless process.On Monday, all three teams filed paperwork with the NFL, declaring their intent to move. "The applications will be reviewed this week by league staff and three league committees that will meet in New York on Wednesday and Thursday—the Los Angeles Opportunities, Stadium and Finance committees," the league said in a statement. "The applications will be presented for consideration at next week's league meeting in Houston on Tuesday and Wednesday." At the league meeting all 32 team owners will vote on a proposal, which will need 24 votes to pass.
Rams owner Stan Kroenke set the process in motion exactly a year ago when he proposed a new stadium in Inglewood, and the Raiders and Chargers followed that a month later with a shared-stadium proposal in Carson. Only one stadium will be approved, and according to the L.A. Times, neither proposal currently has enough votes to pass.
All three teams play in aging stadiums they have been looking to replace for years. "We have tried for more than 14 years, through nine separate proposals and seven different mayors, to create a world-class stadium experience for fans in San Diego," the Chargers said in a statement. "Despite these efforts, there is still no certain, actionable solution to the stadium problem. We are sad to have reached this point." The Rams and Raiders had more perfunctory statements on their own websites.
In response to the Rams' intention to move, the city of St. Louis proposed a $1.1 billion project—that would use $400 million in public money, according to ESPN—to build a new stadium on the city's waterfront. Around The NFL says that Kroenke and the Rams will reject St. Louis' plan.
The city of San Diego, according to the Times, has also proposed a $1.1 billion stadium project, but it hinges on a public vote in June. That uncertainty coupled with the Rams' proposal was what lit the fire for the Chargers to take action.
"Over 25% of our business comes from Riverside County, Orange County and the Los Angeles County area. Another team or teams going in there would have a huge impact on that," said Chargers president Dean Spanos in an interview on the team's site. "I think that is what really was the catalyst that got this whole thing going because when the Rams decided to make their move there, this was a move to protect our business more than anything."
Although Los Angeles hasn't had a team since the 1994 season, when the Rams and Raiders both left the area, all three teams have ties to the city. The Los Angeles Rams moved to the city in 1946, and played their last 15 years in Anaheim Stadium before moving to St. Louis. The Raiders played at the Coliseum from 1982 to 1994, and still have a devoted fanbase in the region. The Chargers played in Los Angeles for their first season before moving to San Diego.
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