Coliseum, rail yard, downtown top list of potential NFL stadium sites.

A report commissioned by an L.A. City Council committee seeking to identify potential sites for an NFL stadium has narrowed the choices to the Coliseum, a rail yard near Union Station and a downtown location adjacent to Staples Center, according to a government source familiar with the process.

The recommendations, which have yet to be presented to the Council, are the latest wrinkle in an ongoing tussle among local officials, private developers and the National Football League over the financial, political and economic viability of a stadium.

Just two weeks ago, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said that the league might consider playing a future Super Bowl at a renovated Rose Bowl -- leading to speculation that the storied Pasadena venue might also be in the running to house a pro team.

Five months ago, a group led by Staples Center developer Anschutz Entertainment Group abruptly pulled its proposal to develop a $450 million stadium on a 40-acre site three Blocks east of Staples Center.

That group, which included Majestic Real ty Co. Chairman Ed Roski, Yucaipa Cos Managing Partner Ron Burkle and L.A. Avengers owner Casey Wasserman, said backed out because of the continued push for the Coliseum and political concerns over the potential use of public funds.

What, if anything, will come out of the new stadium recommendations is unclean NFL officials did not return calls seeking comment of the subject.

The Council formed the committee in May to play some role in efforts to bring a National Football League team to L.A. The Community Redevelopment Agency was asked to prepare report that would assess the most appropriate location for an NFL stadium. As part of that process, the CRA commissioned sports consult ant David Carter to come up with sites.

Although the report was to be delivered to the council committee in August, the CRA now says it will release the findings early next year.

"The CRA's mission, to remove blight and revitalize communities, makes it the most logical entity to play an integral role in current NFL discussions," said a City Council report.

Ridley-Thomas role

Both CRA officials and Carter denied then being any preliminary list of sites.

"At this point, it could be any number sites," said Donald Spivack, deputy administrator at the CRA, who would not confirm specific locations. "We're hoping to have preliminary findings during the first quarter of next year."

But 8th District City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, whose district includes the Coliseum and who was elected last week to the State Assembly for the 48th district (which includes the Coliseum), wants the report released before he takes his Assembly seat in December, according to a source.

"Mark Ridley-Thomas is putting a lot of pressure on the CRA to prove that the Coliseum is really worth it and to do it before he leaves," the source said.

Ridley-Thomas, who long has pushed for the Coliseum as the most viable site, said, "The Coliseum is on the list and everybody knows that." He would not confirm the other sites on the short list, but added, "If the Coliseum is not the best plan, let the best plan emerge."

Tagliabue, along with numerous team owners, have been adamant that the league will not move a team into a renovated Coliseum, which housed the Rams from 1946 to 1980 and the Raiders from 1982 to 1994.

One unexpected site on the emerging short list is the 50-acre rail yard near Union Station. The site is bounded by the L.A. River, North Mission Road, North Main Street and the Golden State (5) Freeway, according to a government source, and is owned by Omaha, Neb.-based Union Pacific Corp.

For nearly half a century, it has served as the region's primary intermodal facility -- where truck trailers are loaded on and off rail cars -- for Union Pacific and its predecessor Southern Pacific.

"Not a bad site, huh?" said Nick Pacheco, councilman of the city's 14th District, where the site is located. "If you're looking for land in a redevelopment project area with less political undercurrents, I'm not surprised that this one would be an option."

'Not for sale'

Still, the rail yard site would not be without its challenges. Located just north of the intersection of the Santa Ana (101) and San Bernardino (10) freeways, it would require a substantial rejiggering of access roads. Also, Union Pacific's Los Angeles Transportation Center would have to be moved to a nearby location.

"It's not for sale," said Mike Furtney, spokesman at Union Pacific's western region offices in San Francisco. "It's a very busy place and not one that we have an interest in selling at this point."

The third location, a 20-acre site adjacent to the Staples Center, is made up of several parking lots. But the site, bounded by Olympic Boulevard, 11th, Figueroa and Georgia streets, is part of the 879-acre City Center Redevelopment Zone, which has come under fire by L.A. County.

The county, which loses property tax increment dollars when projects are built within redevelopment areas, has filed a lawsuit against the city, challenging its claim that the area was blighted.

"The city would like to consider any reasonable proposal and, if possible, avoid litigation," said David Gershwin, communications deputy for 7th District Councilman and Ad Hoc Stadium Committee Chair Alex Padilla.

Besides Padilla and Ridley-Thomas, the committee includes councilmembers Jan Perry (whose 9th district includes the Staples-adjacent site), Eric Garcetti and Hal Bernson. The committee instructed the CRA to identify viable stadium sites within its 37 redevelopment areas.

Officials from the mayor's office declined comment until the pending CRA report is made public.

"The whole purpose of the (ad hoc) committee is to analyze all information that comes from the report," said Gershwin. "Any serious proposal will be looked into the ad hoc committee at which point they would assess and review the merits of each one... the city will have its handprint on a stadium, regardless where it is."

While Ridley-Thomas said he would continue to push for the Coliseum, former LAPD Chief Bernard Parks, the frontrunner in the March 2003 election to replace Ridley-Thomas in City Council, remains a wildcard.

Kerman Maddox, a spokesperson for Parks, said Parks wanted to refrain from taking an official position on the Coliseum until he officially declared himself a candidate for the council seat, which could happen this week.