Los Angeles Rams rumors have been flying since the owner of the St. Louis Rams bought a 60-acre plot in Inglewood that could be used to build an NFL stadium on.
Stan Kroenke, the owner and a billionaire, bought the parking lot last month, sources told the Los Angeles Times.
Wal-Mart owned the land but failed to get approval for a superstore.
Kroenke is a former board members of Wal-Mart and is married to Ann Walton Kroenke, the daughter of Wal Mart co-founder Bud Walton.
Los Angeles hasn’t had a football team since the Rams and Raiders left after the 1994 season.
The Rams have been unable to work out a stadium deal in St. Louis and are able to move after the 2014 season.
Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts said that he’s aware of the land buy.
“It would not surprise me at all that there would be interest in a football stadium,” Butts said. “We have been the home of sports teams before, and we have experience working with sports franchises.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also said that the league is aware of the deal but that “there are no plans, to my knowledge, of stadium development.”
“As you know our policy is they do have to keep us informed of any developments or anything that is going on in the Los Angeles market,” Goodell said, referring to the Rams. “Stan is a very large developer on a global basis. He has land throughout the country and throughout the world.
“Any kind of stadium development requires multiple votes of the membership,” he added. Three-quarters of the NFL’s 32 owners would need to approve a relocation.
Asked how Rams fans should take the purchase, Goodell emphasized that Kroenke is a global developer.
“I think instead of overreacting, we should make sure we do what’s necessary to continue to support the fans locally, which the fans have done in St. Louis, and make sure we can do whatever we can to make sure that team is successful in the St. Louis market.”
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