Keeping the NFL's Rams in St. Louis may be quite a task for city officials, even if they are assembling a task force.
Profootballtalk.NBC.com is reporting that the city has put together a task force to explore options for funding a new stadium - mostly to give the appearance that the city is trying to do everything it can to keep the Rams in town.
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ESPN.com reported that Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has appointed former president of Anheuser-Busch president Dave Peacock and local attorney Bob Blitz to join forces to come up with financing options for a new stadium in the next two months to prevent the team's relocation to Los Angeles.
The Rams have a Jan. 28 date to assess whether to continue their lease with the Edward Jones Dome to a year-to-year lease.
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"Make no mistake about it, St. Louis is an NFL city," Nixon said. "Being an NFL city is a matter of civic and state pride and one of international significance. An NFL team in St. Louis sends a clear signal that this city is a worldwide player and sets it in a special class when it comes to a competitive, global marketplace. The economic impact of the Rams team in St. Louis extends long beyond Sunday afternoon."
According to ESPN, the Rams can opt out of their current lease on the Edward Jones Dome after this season. The franchise has a "first tier" clause in its contract that was in the initial lease the team signed when it moved from Los Angeles. If the Rams want to move back to Los Angeles or anywhere else for the 2015 season, they must notify the league of their intent by Feb. 15.
The NFL.com speculates that the city's appointment of a task force to figure out how to get the team a new stadium is only a stalling tactic so that Rams fans believe the city did everything it could to keep the franchise from moving out West.
"... Any efforts starting now to keep the Rams in town will be aimed at ensuring that the blame is directed to Kroenke for leaving and not to the folks who hold elected office for failing to do enough to keep the team," NFL.com reported. "With a public vote required before any public money could be used to build a new stadium, it's safe to say that the Rams will soon be crossing the Rubicon - if they haven't already done so privately."
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