DEVELOPER IN CARSON GIVES NFL PRICE CHECK QUOTE INCLUDES CLEAN UP COSTS AT STADIUM SITE.

Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer

The developer who controls the Carson site on which the NFL is considering building a stadium has delivered his asking price to the league for a share of the 157-acre parcel.

Newport Beach developer Steve Hopkins would not reveal his price, nor would the league, but he said in addition to the cost of the land it includes the cost of cleaning up the former dump site and preparing it for construction. Previous cleanup estimates were about $30 million.

Hopkins, who agreed last March to pay close to $30 million for the site, had been scheduled to close escrow March 1, but recently negotiated with the glazer's union pension fund to continue escrow for another year.

NFL executive Neil Glat declined comment and referred questions to a league spokesman who said only that the league would review Hopkins' proposal, which also included updated site plans.

``I have no idea what I'm expecting,'' Hopkins said of the NFL's response. ``There haven't been ongoing discussions, so your guess is as good as mine.''

While the NFL has been involved in back-and-forth discussions recently with Coliseum, Rose Bowl and Anaheim officials, Hopkins says he has not met with league executives since early November. Carson's economic development manager Ron Winkler said city officials have not had substantive talks with the NFL in several months.

This has led to some speculation that Carson could be eliminated from consideration - perhaps at the direction of the owners when they meet in Maui from March 20-23.

``We may be eliminated because our situation doesn't work for the NFL,'' said Hopkins, who believes the NFL is still interested. ``We have the most complicated property, but we have the best site.''

What Carson allows the NFL to do is build a stadium to its own specifications (as opposed to a renovated Rose Bowl or Coliseum) and do it within 12 miles of downtown Los Angeles (unlike Anaheim).

It could also allow the NFL a hand in ancillary development. The league proposed last September a 68,000-seat stadium, hotel, five-story parking garage and 900,000 square feet of retail development that would include sports-themed restaurants. However, at the time Hopkins said those plans wouldn't leave space for a planned shopping mall and easy in-and-out access.

Hopkins entered into escrow on the property last March with the intention of building a mixed-use development, but acceded to the wishes of Carson officials to consider selling about 80 acres to the NFL if it wants to build a stadium near the intersection of the 110 and 405 freeways.

However, building a stadium is a sticky matter because determining how the site would be cleaned up to meet state standards - and for how much - is not yet finalized. Also, Hopkins and the NFL's timelines have appeared to conflict.

The league, which originally hoped to have a decision on a site by May 2004, then set its sights on this May. But at the Super Bowl last month, Commissioner Paul Tagliabue reiterated that time is not as considerable a factor as getting the right site and stadium.

Hopkins said he will understand issues of access, zoning and traffic by September when the draft of the environmental impact report the city has commissioned is expected. The firm preparing the report, PCR, is authoring one with a stadium and one without, perhaps leaving the city and Hopkins with a choice to make this fall - if one hasn't been made for them.

``They told us in November that they were going to make a decision in May, but there also may be a delay,'' Hopkins said. ``If there's any significant delay (of more than a few months) that would eliminate us. A delay doesn't hurt the Coliseum or the Rose Bowl. They're just standing there.''

Winkler said the city will await the NFL's response and is prepared to begin discussions about the project.

``I guess the ball is now in their court,'' Winkler said. ``I think they're still interested. They always like to keep as many irons in the fire as possible and this is a very competitive proposal. Now that they know what Hopkins' offer is, then we'll go from there. The next step would be to have some dialogue with us.''

Billy Witz, [phone]

billy.witz(at)dailynews.com