urbanSTL

Even though I don't think it will sway Stan or even register a blip on his radar, there will be a "keep the Rams in St. Louis rally" on April 5th 2014, noon, at Kiener Plaza. While I don't think it will sway Stan, it will be a black eye on the situation, if 40 people show up. I think we need to show up those 'Bring Back the LA Rams' folks on Facebook. Spread the word. I think it will be a good thing, if an impressive number of people show up and show support. It needs to make the news.

If we lose the Rams we won't get another NFL team, period and I'd personally be out of St. Louis on the first train smoking. St. Louis doesn't have beaches mountains and balmy 75 degree year round weather. We need everything else, luckily we have the resources to make St. Louis what we want. Metrolink expansion, historic preservation, funding startups, improving education, job creation, reducing crime and even a new Rams football stadium (east riverfront???) . It's all entirely possible, we just need to find the resolve to do it. We're not even close to operating at our fullest potential, but we absolutely need to be, make no mistake about it. Get a vision and go after it.

Rallying cry aside, I found an interesting article that suggests we have more money than we're letting on for a new stadium. It's ongoing and lengthy so I'll just post an excerpt. I just want to know if he's onto anything?

http://ramblingsofpaul.tumblr.com/

In the end, my point is: we the people voted for this 3.5% tax to pay for the original dome. We were not told and we did not agree that extra revenue from this tax would go to general revenue to be spent as desired. We certainly have reason to inquire how much money is being raised from this tax for both the City and County. I am also asking anyone with authority to begin questioning public officials who cry poverty when the subject of the new Rams dome comes up.

Additionally, and most importantly, I see nothing showing this tax will end in 2021 when the RCSCA debt is paid off.

Skeptical people will remain skeptical, but Kevin Demoff did what he does so darn well on 101 ESPN today.

Truly believe St.Louis doesn't hate the Rams they hate the year after year clown show football...When Lenihan was coach i was hoping we go winless after we started the year 0-8 and we had to beat the Saints that year for our lone win...I do think the Rams are on the rise and will be a force for many years although we're in the toughest division in football.. SF is pretty much at prime Seattle is nearing Cardinals are nuetral St.Louis has a good 3-4 years before it hits prime .. 9-7 next year people will fill that dome i plan on going to a game or 2 ...

blzhrpmd2 wrote:Here's a quick reminder of how great the Rams experience can be. Same dark dome, same fans, same city. Let's stay passionate.

I don't think EJD is the same dark dome. They invested some $50million a few years ago which I thought made a substantial difference. The worst feature of the dome is the product on the field.

Update from Kevin Demoff's interview on AM 920 this morning.

http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/M ... After.aspx

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2014/2/12/ ... -situation

He didn't say anything groundbreaking, sort of skated around questions, was very political and did not make me feel any better about the Rams future in St. Louis.

He did say that Stan and Nixon know each other well and have had 'discussions'. He said Stan would not ignore calls from Nixon. He welcomed any calls from Nixon and local officials. He said the news of the LA land buy has stirred the pot locally, with many local officials and others, coming out of the woodwork, to see what they can do to keep the Rams here. He sounded encouraged by this. If Stan was trying to light a fire under local officials behinds, from what Demoff said, the land buy in LA, did just that. To me, that is about the most positive nugget of info, I can take from this interview.

^I didn't think he was being too political. What do you expect him to say? Would you expect him to completely lay out the Rams plan for the team? The Rams aren't going to lay out all their cards nor would it be wise for them too.

If you're scared and skeptical and easily swayed by shallow reports about how the Rams could "return home to LA," then I don't think Demoff can say much to make you feel better.

But I think Demoff's last couple interviews have been great and encouraging.

Notes from them:

• The Rams have shown a renewed commitment to St. Louis since Kroenke took over, illustrated by their community service and their preseason television network.

• The Rams don't blame the fans for any recent attendance woes. They recognize it is their responsibility to put a quality product on the field in order to encourage ticket sales.

• Stan Kroenke isn't looking to buck the norm for stadium financing. It's typically a public-private partnership with some potential help from the NFL, and that's the likely outcome here. Stan is willing to put money into the stadium.

• The Rams certainly want to move forward in this process, but they not in a hurry. They understand it is a process. Year-to-year doesn't mean they're leaving.

• They're pouring money into the Dome to upgrade concessions. The CVC is pouring money in to upgrade the sound system. They're both working on a plan to upgrade the internet/wireless.

• Kroenke isn't ignoring the Governor. There will be discussions.

Not sure what you reasonably want to hear from them if that stuff is not considered encouraging.

It would have been better if the Rams had just accepted the $124 million in upgrades to the dome offered by the CVC including giant video screens hanging from the ceiling, and then just commit to sticking it out here the final 10 years on the lease.

Now we have tremendous angst and uncertainty in the St. Louis fan base, and a stadium that the Rams told the fans is substandard so just stay home, and now it will never get upgrades. And they say they are only thinking of improving the fan experience. As a charter Rams PSL holder in St. Louis since 1995, I expected more from an organization I've supported with my hard earned cash for 20 years.

Even the CVC didn't want that deal accepted, Gary.

$124 million in upgrades for just 10 years of commitment isn't ideal from the public's standpoint. And from the #Rams standpoint, they would have had to put about $130 million into those upgrades as well (as laid out in the CVC's proposal).

All with the intention of just delaying this new stadium process 10 years?

Would have been a waste of the public money and a waste of the Rams. Better to put the very incremental upgrades in the Dome now (that they're doing) and work on a new stadium plan.

I get what you're saying about assuring the fans and all, but it wouldn't have been worth it. Not for just 10 years.

For some reason i don't feel concerned about the Rams leaving St.Louis .. I look at it if they do they do theres nothing we can do about it we did our best in trying to keep the team here. I rather see them move back to L.A. vice versa a city like Louisville or Birmingham now that will be a slap in the face ...

There is something we can do to keep the Rams here. The NFL says they will not allow a move from a city that shows it has been supporting the team. Our attendance has been low lately, but not much lower than Pittsburgh's, whose team has had a lot more success than the Rams over the last 10 years. We need to sell out the 8 regular season games in 2014.

Here is the Facebook page of the group planning a "Keep the Rams in St. Louis" rally in Kiener Plaza April 5th.

https://www.facebook.com/KeepTheRamsInStLouis

Please go to their page and LIKE it. They are up to 8,000 likes and growing. We need to surpass the LA Rams facebook page.

They also show this. Not sure from the angle where in the downtown area this would be for this view:

gary kreie wrote:There is something we can do to keep the Rams here. The NFL says they will not allow a move from a city that shows it has been supporting the team. Our attendance has been low lately, but not much lower than Pittsburgh's, whose team has had a lot more success than the Rams over the last 10 years. We need to sell out the 8 regular season games in 2014.

Gary, I'll keep an eye on dynamic pricing which I think you said they'll have this year, but at regular rates Rams football would be one the worst entertainment values for my tastes. btw, seems like the number of black outs a team has would be an indicator of demonstration of local support.... I believe we've had few of those at least.

I doubt a lot of people would agree with this, but I think East St Louis would be an ideal location for a new outdoor stadium. Incredible view of downtown, central location, great highway/metro link access, close proximity to downtown hotels, and CHEAP and abundant land. There are obvious issues in East St Louis but I'm surprised this is never discussed as a prospective location.

I'm not asking Stan or the Rams to show their hand. I understand that they are in the middle of a negotiating process (maybe) and they do not want to tip their hand. HOWEVER, there will be MANY Rams fans, whether they be fringe or not, that will not show up because of the potential of supporting a lame duck team. I do not blame them. Whether it is a reality that the Rams could move or not, MANY people locally, think there is a very good probability, that they are leaving. Many do not trust Stan or Demoff. That distrust is going to make it very hard to fill the Dome every week, especially if the Rams are not good to very good. Mediocre to bad will cause a mass exodus of the fanbase. I think Stan coming out and saying “I will do my best to make it work in St. Louis. We will have to see how the process goes.” Or even going as far as to say he “wants to make it work, but can’t guarantee anything” would help the fanbase relax a bit. Stan having a press conference would help. IMO, saying something like this, does not hurt his leverage. He has all of the leverage and everyone knows this. His silence (and yes, I know he is famous for it) is only hurting efforts of the organization, if planning on staying here. And yes, when Demoff answers questions of a potential move, but touting the Rams charity work in the community, what does that really say? To me, you do charity work no matter what. Pujols still comes here and does work, as does Warner. They’ve both moved on, even though Albert lives here. Demoff does not hide the fact that the Rams want out of the Dome. That is NO secret. Blowing off the land deal as another transaction by a developer is bogus too. I’m surprised that many here, did not see past his diplomatic responses. Did he say some positive things, yes, but nothing that makes me feel any better. Simply put, we need a stadium to be built here or we will lose the Rams. That is what it comes down to. How that “public-private-NFL partnership” will play out, if at all, remains to be seen. I am not of the belief this is a done deal either way, but I just feel like this is not going to end well. Just a gut feeling.

roger wyoming II wrote:fyi. I'm sure a lot of people have already seen it, but WhoLou has reported over at nextstl that CVC is planning on spending $50 million on convention center upgrades centered on a new, large ballroom. I wasn't clear from the article if the plan was to add-on or merely reconfigure.

I wonder if it will involve taking out that parking garage?

robertn42 wrote:I doubt a lot of people would agree with this, but I think East St Louis would be an ideal location for a new outdoor stadium. Incredible view of downtown, central location, great highway/metro link access, close proximity to downtown hotels, and CHEAP and abundant land. There are obvious issues in East St Louis but I'm surprised this is never discussed as a prospective location.

I actually wouldn't mind it. It's just that it will never happen as the state of Illinois would never lift a finger to do anything like help fund a stadium not in the Chicagoland area.