March 19, 2005> By Harrison Sheppard, Sacramento Bureau>
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and NFL Commissioner Paul > Tagliabue met Friday for the first time and discussed the prospects > for bringing professional football to Los Angeles as well as other > issues facing California teams.>
No agreements were reached during the hour-long meeting in the > governor's Capitol office, but Schwarzenegger expressed his enthusiasm > for bringing a team to the L.A. area.>
"I am extremely supportive of bringing an NFL team to Los Angeles," > Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "I have and will continue to work > with the NFL to make it happen.>
"Los Angeles is the largest metropolitan area that is not home to an > NFL team and it deserves to have a football team competing at the > highest level. A Los Angeles NFL team means good jobs, increased > tourism and economic growth for California.>
"As you know, I love action and I want to bring NFL action back to Los > Angeles.">
The Los Angeles region has been without a National Football League > team for a decade, since the Rams left Anaheim and the Raiders left > the Coliseum.>
Competing groups of developers have put forth proposals to lure a team > to Carson, the Rose Bowl, Anaheim or the Coliseum, but the governor > has not taken sides on a site.>
An NFL spokesman said the league is committed to do the majority of > the financing of a stadium with potentially a minimal commitment of > public funds, possibly for infrastructure improvements.>
Tagliabue was on his way to Hawaii for the annual team owners' > meeting. He requested the meeting to update the governor on several > outstanding issues facing teams throughout California, including > deteriorating stadiums in San Diego and San Francisco, and ongoing > litigation involving the Oakland Raiders, according to league > spokesman Greg Aiello.>
The meeting was an informational session, and no promises or > agreements were made, Aiello said. It was their first face-to-face > meeting to discuss these issues.>
"The commissioner requested the meeting on his way out to our league > meeting in order to bring the governor up to date on our situation in > California," Aiello said.
*Franchise located in Los Angeles prior to 1995>
_________________> GO RAMS!!!>
Walter Berry...> Los Angeles,CA.> ac626@lafn.org <mailto:ac626@lafn.org>>
