Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger just signed a bill allowing the construction of a 75,000-seat stadium that developers hope will lure an NFL team to the Los Angeles area.
First, we all know which NFL team they’re talking about.
Second, how is this different than helping San Diego build a stadium?
Do you remember when Schwarzenegger visited San Diego in June and was asked point-blank for help in building a new stadium to keep the San Diego Chargers in San Diego County?
We do.
”It’s very tough to have the state involved in those things,” Schwarzenegger said at the time, citing projects proposed in the Bay Area and Los Angeles. “All over the place they want to build stadiums. The state of California is not in that business.”
“I think the locals have to do the passing of a certain tax measure or something like that to put that money up for the stadiums and do a public-private partnership,” he said in June.
Well, apparently the state has gotten into that business.
Local
The signing of the environmental exemption bill Thursday in the City of Industry gives the go-ahead to build a stadium about 15 miles east of Los Angeles.
Officials said the stadium would generate more than 18,000 jobs and more than $762 million in economic output.
It is true that the bill signed Thursday won't pay for the stadium, but having state leaders nullify a lawsuit filed by nearby residents over the project's environmental impact helps the city immensely.
Developer Majestic Realty Co. has said the San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers are on its list of seven teams it will approach about a move to the Los Angeles area.
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