COLISEUM IS NFL'S CHOICE; NOW, WHO WILL OWN TEAM?

Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer

Five years after vowing never to return to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the National Football League announced Tuesday that the historic stadium is the preferred site for a 32nd team.

At the same time, the league left open who will be the new owners among two competing local groups and the final price tag, although it was estimated at $1 billion, including the costs of remodeling the stadium. Key elements include developing 20,000 on-site parking spaces and creating a public-private financing partnership acceptable to the league.

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, standing in front of the landmark peristyle end of the stadium and under the 1984 Olympic torch, made the announcement following a morning of meetings with the 11-member NFL owners committee and two prospective ownership groups along with city and county officials.

``This is the culmination of five years of discussions,'' Tagliabue said. ``The (expansion) committee was given a mandate to select a site for a 32nd team.

``This morning, the committee selected the Los Angeles Coliseum as the site that offers the best opportunity for the National Football League . . . to create a state-of-the-art stadium that will benefit the fans, the league and the city for years to come.''

The NFL voted 29-2 last month to award the expansion team to the Los Angeles area, the nation's second-biggest TV market, over Houston and allowed six months to reach an agreement that could bring football back in 2002.

It was a distinct victory for the team that has been pushing for the Coliseum - headed by Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, in whose district the facility is located.

``This is a great day for the Coliseum and a great day for Los Angeles,'' Ridley-Thomas said.

Developer Ed Roski Jr., who spent more than $3 million in developing his proposal, said it was a day he was not sure he would ever see.

``This has been a big challenge,'' Roski said. ``It's hard to believe after three years that we're finally here.''

It was Ridley-Thomas who generated the political support, from Mayor Richard Riordan on down, as well as convincing Roski, owner of the Los Angeles Kings, to get involved more than three years ago. Billionaire Eli Broad joined his effort as a partner earlier this year to provide the financial muscle to back the plans.

Tagliabue's announcement said he was giving the Roski-Broad team and another headed by Hollywood super agent Mike Ovitz and food magnate Ron Burkle time to develop a business and site development plan for the Exposition Park area. Those plans are due in May for the owners' meeting.

Until this month, Ovitz had been pushing the NFL to select the city of Carson for a new football stadium that would be combined with a mall. Ovitz dropped that when it became apparent the Coliseum would be the choice.

Ovitz reaction

``I couldn't be happier about this,'' Ovitz said. ``It means football can return to Los Angeles and that's the main thing.''

Ovitz said he will proceed with his own plans, adding he has no interest at this time in joining with the Roski-Broad team.

``I don't feel I'm at a disadvantage,'' Ovitz said as a result of his efforts for a Spanish-style stadium dubbed the Hacienda. ``Four and a half years ago I developed some plans for the Coliseum to have a new stadium and a new sports arena. I was told then there was no way they would return to the Coliseum.''

But it was clear in remarks made by NFL officials that they would like to see Ovitz join the Roski-Broad team and come up with a unified approach.

``There are many owners who want Michael Ovitz involved,'' said Jerry Richardson, owner of the Carolina Panthers and chairman of the expansion committee that met over the past two days.

``It is going to be hard enough to get 24 votes (from owners to approve an expansion team for Los Angeles). We would like to see these people work together.''

Tagliabue also offered high praise for Ovitz, calling him a ``visionary,'' adding that Los Angeles and the Coliseum - a facility abandoned by both the Rams and Raiders - would not have been in the running if it wasn't for the efforts of Ovitz, Roski, Broad and Ridley-Thomas.

Broad and Roski said they welcomed the idea of Ovitz joining their effort, but would be proceeding with their own plans.

Riordan said he understood the past reluctance of owners about the Coliseum because of their experiences with crime and rowdy fans when the Raiders called it home.

But he pointed to the family atmosphere that existed when the Rams played in the facility as well as the current major tenant, the University of Southern California football team.

Richardson said he feels personally committed to seeing a successful franchise placed in Los Angeles.

``From my point of view and the National Football League point of view, we have an obligation to rekindle the interest in professional football for our fans here,'' Richardson said. ``But we have to recognize what has happened here. Facts are facts. We've had two teams play here and leave. We cannot allow that to happen again.''

Tagliabue addressed another concern that whoever seeks to become the owner of a team would be involved in a bidding war.

Seek specific price

Although the committee did not make a final recommendation, he said he would urge the owners to set a specific price for the cost of a franchise, considering there will be a $300 million cost in building a stadium and a slightly smaller amount needed to start up a team.

That would leave the franchise fee in the $500 million to $600 million range.

The commissioner also dismissed potential problems over Roski's exclusive agreement with the Coliseum to bring a professional football team to Los Angeles.

Tagliabue said he believes it would be resolved on its own by the time a team is awarded to the city.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1) The NFL's Paul Tagliabue, right, tours the Coliseum with Mark Ridley-Thomas and Michael Ovitz, far left.

(2) L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan plays catch before the announcement.

David R. Crane/Daily News