Despite the fact that the NFL currently has two stadium proposals in Inglewood and Carson, California to choose from - both of which have made major strides recently - the league is in no hurry to make a decision on which plan to support moving forward.
"There will not be a stadium vote at the owners meetings in May, and it probably will be a minimum of six months before the league decides which plan to support," writes Sam Farmer of The Los Angeles Times.
"NFL Executive Vice President Eric Grubman, the league's point man on L.A., dismissed conjecture that a vote of owners is imminent, saying 'that's based on the fact there's been an awful lot of progress made on the two sites in Los Angeles, and it's beginning to be tangible.'"
St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke has proposed stadium in Holywood Park and the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders have joined forces on a joint venture in Carson.
Per Farmer, for either plan to be given the go-ahead by the league, it would need the support of 3/4 of the NFL's 32 owners.
"But the fact is we're not planning for a vote in May or any time soon," Grubman said. "We have a process. It's deliberate. There are steps that need to be taken, and I think that's much more likely to be later in this calendar year at the soonest."
Grubman held an hour-long presentation for the league's ownership during last month's meetings in Phoenix. The NFL's 32 owners will again meet in mid-May and Grubman will have representatives of both the Inglewood and Carson plans make somewhat-detailed presentations about each proposal.
Kroenke's Hollywood Park project is currently farther along than the Chargers and Raiders' plan and has the necessary entitlements to begin construction - the architects employed by the Rams owner have been working on the project for almost a full year.
Grubman told Farmer he plans to visit San Diego and Oakland later this month as part of the NFL's continued effort to gauge the current home markets of the three potential relocation teams.
"We've been encouraged by what we've seen in St. Louis, and it's too early to tell in San Diego and Oakland," said Grubman.
Still, Grubman was adamant that the process needed to be given due time and consideration before any decisions are made.
"I would say that the pace has picked up, but I don't view it as hurried. It's very deliberate. We and the clubs have built momentum, and that momentum seems like it will continue."
