Stan Kroenke is either very confident of relocating the St. Louis Rams to Los Angeles or he made some bad bets once upon a time at Hollywood Park.
USA TODAY Sports' For the Win has reported that the city of Inglewood took another step toward getting ready for a possible return of the Rams to Southern California on Sunday when it demolished the grandstands of the now-closed Hollywood Park racetrack.
According to For the Win, Kroenke, current owner of the St. Louis Rams, and about 75 Rams fans attended the demolition, which took place before 6 a.m. Pacific Time.
The track once hosted Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. Now, Kroenke is hoping a new, 80,000-seat stadium will house the Rams if he can secure three-fourths of the vote from NFL owners to approve relocation.
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Kroenke's plan is one of two in the Southern California area hoping to land NFL teams. A second plan in Carson, Calif., has the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders joining forces to put together a stadium there.
"(Kroenke's) plans for an NFL stadium are in direct competition with a joint proposal by the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders to build a $1.7 billion two-team stadium in Carson, abc7.com (the Los Angeles affiliate) reported. "The NFL reportedly considers L.A. a two-team market and wants a stadium that could accommodate both teams. An NFL team has not played in L.A. since 1994."
It has yet to be decided whether the NFL would allow both plans to go forward, although Commissioner Roger Goodell labeled both viable in April.
Inglewood Mayor James Butts recorded video of the demolition while wearing a Rams-themed hard hat, For the Win reported, adding that he voiced no concern about the competing Carson stadium plan.
"This will become the development that catapults Inglewood into international prominence," Butts said.
A city worker congratulated Butts as the grandstand came down, telling him that he hopes Butts can land a team, the mayor replied, "It's not up to me. It's up to 24 owners. All we can do is get it set up."
Which is now possible now that the racetrack grandstand is torn down.
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