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ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI) – Trying to retain or lure an NFL team means you are willing to play chess with billionaires. Rams owner Stan Kroenke made his move on Monday with his Los Angeles investment. St. Louis rolled out their plan on Friday.

The proposed stadium will be on the riverfront. An eye catching design put together by the local firm HOK 360.

It’s a 64,000 seat open air stadium that could also accommodate a professional soccer team. But, the point is to keep St. Louis’ professional football team. But, that fight would be expensive. Perhaps close to a billion dollars.

About half would be paid for with private money from the league and the team. The rest would be public funding, accomplished primarily by extending the bonds used to build the Edward Jones Dome Which would otherwise be paid off in about seven years. They say that means the new stadium requires no new public money. But, it would be an extension of the public`s financial obligation.

Governor Nixon and Mayor Slay approve of the plan. The Rams say they are looking it over. So, does County Executive Steve Stenger. No word what Rams owner Stan Kreonke thinks of the proposal.

The Nfl task force is framing the new stadium as an extension of the City Arch River project. Downtown St. Louis Incorporated is framing it in the language of sports.

But, there are 33 old buiildings in the proposed building site area just north of Laclede`s Landing. Most of them are vacant. Where some see blight, others see a glittering future.

To open by 2020 the schedule will be ambitious. They expect to break ground in June of this year.

The final price tag would be between $865 and $985 million. This proposal calls for the owner, potentially Kroenke, to kick in around $200 million with the league throwing in the other $200 million. That is a common NFL practice.

Another revenue stream proposed is the current contributions made by the city/ state and county. All three give 24 million for payments and upkeep on the Dome. Money that could one day go towards the new stadium project.

Images of the proposed stadium plan courtesy HOK & 360 Architecture:

  • Aerial view of massing model looking southwest - Images courtesy of HOK | 360 Architecture
  • Aerial view looking southeast, configured for football - Images courtesy of HOK | 360 Architecture
  • Aerial view looking southeast, configured for soccer - Images courtesy of HOK | 360 Architecture
  • View looking northwest from the Mississippi River with translucent upper levels - Images courtesy of HOK | 360 Architecture
  • Parking plan - Images courtesy of HOK | 360 Architecture
  • Aerial view looking southwest toward downtown - Images courtesy of HOK | 360 Architecture
  • Cross-section of stadium site between I-44 and the Mississippi River - Images courtesy of HOK | 360 Architecture
  • Site plan - Images courtesy of HOK | 360 Architecture
  • Stadium approach from the southeast - Images courtesy of HOK | 360 Architecture
  • Stadium view looking west across Mississippi River - Images courtesy of HOK | 360 Architecture

 

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