by Sarah Tully and Michael Lev
The Orange County Register - Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Anaheim officials have delivered an ultimatum to the NFL: Choose our site for your Los Angeles-area team by May or we will pursue other options.
City officials set the deadline as NFL owners prepare to meet next week in Orlando, Fla., to discuss plans to return a team to the region. NFL officials had hoped to choose either Los Angeles or Anaheim next week, but owners are expected to wait at least until the May 23-25 meeting.
"The city is taking a position because we've been getting the run-around," Councilman Harry Sidhu said.
League spokesman Brian McCarthy said: "We're cognizant of the city timeline. They have conveyed it to us in recent meetings. So we're moving forward with our own timeline."
Neil Glat, the NFL's lead negotiator, was unavailable for comment Tuesday.
Talks began in summer 2004 when NFL officials first approached Anaheim about the possibility of building a stadium on a 50-acre plot next to Angel Stadium. City Manager Dave Morgan made the same threat a year ago to pull out if the NFL waited too long.
Now, Morgan said the city is serious about bailing: "If they think they can lollygag along endlessly, maybe they'll do that."
Negotiators also have considered bringing two teams to the area. In that case, negotiators had talked about having the NFL pay Anaheim to reserve the plot in case it wanted the land for a second team. But Morgan said the city has withdrawn that offer.
If no decision is reached at the May meeting in Denver, city officials would start entertaining offers from other developers. NFL negotiators could still keep talking to the city, but discussions would no longer be exclusive.
"They'll be in the mix competing with everyone else," Morgan said.
Other developers have wanted to take advantage of the spurt of construction in the Platinum Triangle, where 7,300 homes are planned.
Morgan said the plot could be used for a practice facility for a future NBA team. Also, developers could try to connect Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim with Angel Stadium and new condos, shops and restaurants. The league's timeline could coincide with Anaheim's deadline.
NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who announced Monday that he would retire in July, said the league is "expecting to make some decisions" during the March and May owners meetings. Tagliabue said he would visit California sometime next month "and probably again in May."
He termed the Los Angeles situation "a key priority."
Coliseum general manager Pat Lynch said he thinks Tagliabue's departure could accelerate the process.
"I hope it just gets us focused and we can put the pressure on and maybe try to get this done in May," Lynch said of Tagliabue's retirement. "He would like it done. I know we would like it done."