St. Louis Rams' owner Stan Kroenke faces another challenge in moving his team to Inglewood, as the Federal Aviation Administration released a preliminary report stating that the venue at the former Hollywood Park site is "presumed to be a hazard to air navigation," according to Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times.
A 27-page report released Monday warned that the proposed $1.86-billion stadium in Inglewood could interfere with radar that is used to track incoming aircraft to Los Angeles International Airport. This is just another hurdle the Rams owner has to face in trying to move his team out of St. Louis.
The Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, and the Rams are all reportedly going to apply for relocation in January, and the Raiders and Chargers have just hired Disney executive Bob Iger to lead their Carson stadium project.
Kroenke has already cleared some hurdles this year, but has many more to pass before he can officially move his team to Los Angeles. Last month, Kroenke was approved by NFL owners to transfer the control of the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche to his wife, Ann Walton Kroenke. The NFL does not allow a franchise owner to own a team in one city and another pro franchise in another city, and although this was part of the deal when Kroenke bought the Rams in 2010, some see it as a step closer to the team moving. Kroenke reportedly faces owners who want to block his move to Los Angeles, but allowing him to switch ownership of his other franchises to his wife could be a good sign for the Rams owner.
While Kroenke is currently facing this air traffic dilemma in moving the team to Inglewood, the FAA report gave solutions to the problem. The solutions the report offers are relocating the stadium, reducing the height by more than 100 feet, or reshaping the exterior or covering part of the exterior surfaces with material that will absorb radar, according to Fenno. The problem is that the architects have been working on a plan for more than a year now, and with new changes, more money and time is needed.
This is not the first time this project has faced scrutiny, as the proximity to the Los Angeles airport has many worried. Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said the stadium could be vulnerable to a terrorist attack, according to Fenno. People have also reportedly questioned the stadium's safety.
While Kroenke is trying to fix all the issues he can, the league's Committee on L.A. Opportunities is meeting Wednesday in New York City, where the NFL will hear updates on the Inglewood project, but will also hear from the cities of San Diego, Oakland, and St. Louis - who are all trying to keep their teams.
