April 17--Representatives of the San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and the city of Carson met with NFL officials Thursday in downtown Los Angeles to discuss a proposed $1.7-billion stadium.
The meeting, which lasted about 40 minutes, included Eric Grubman, an NFL senior vice president who is the league's point man on the L.A. market.
Carson City Councilman Albert Robles, who will be sworn in as the city's mayor Tuesday, said Grubman explained the league's process regarding the competing stadium proposals. The tone of the discussion was positive, he added.
"I enjoyed talking to him," he said.
Raiders President Marc Badain, who also attended the meeting, gave Robles a silver lapel pin with the team's logo. The mayor-to-be, who also owns a half-Chargers, half-Raiders jersey, wore the pin on his suit after the meeting.
On Tuesday, Carson's City Council will take up a ballot initiative to authorize the privately financed project. The three-member council could either adopt the initiative, as Inglewood's City Council did in February, or schedule a public vote. Robles said he wants to see the city's economic and environmental reports on the project, due Monday, before deciding. But he is open to approving the initiative Tuesday.
The next day, a committee of six NFL owners will meet in New York and hear updates on the plan in Carson, the rival proposal in Inglewood and efforts in St. Louis to build a new stadium.
Robles expects the competition between the Carson and Inglewood stadium concepts to heat up in the coming weeks and months.
"I think it's going to get a little more personal," he said. "They're in front right now. If Carson moves ahead, I anticipate that they'll start lobbing claims."
