Rosenbloom: Rams aren't leaving St. Louis
5/20/2008 11:34 PM
By JIM SALTER
Associated Press Writer
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ST. LOUIS (AP) -One of the new owners of the Rams says he has been approached by ``several people'' about selling the team and there is ``every intention'' of keeping the NFL franchise in St. Louis.
Chip Rosenbloom issued a statement Tuesday, denying a report by Yahoo Sports that the team was on the market and being shopped for up to $900 million, with a sale raising the possibility of a return to Los Angeles.
The story quoted former 49ers owner Eddie De Bartolo and cited other unidentified sources.
``When a team is passed from one generation to another it becomes to some a calling card that the team must be for sale,'' Rosenbloom said. ``So to reply to this (Yahoo) article: Nothing has changed since my mom's passing.''
Rosenbloom is the son of Georgia Frontiere, who moved the Rams from Anaheim, Calif., to her hometown of St. Louis in 1995. Frontiere died in January of breast cancer, and her son and daughter Lucia Rodriguez now run the team.
Rosenbloom said the owners have been approached ``by several people,'' but did not elaborate.
In a written statement, Rosenbloom stopped short of saying definitively that the team would not be sold but reiterated that there are no plans to relocate.
He said that while he and his sister deal with their mother's estate, ``I can assure you we have every intention of keeping the Rams in St. Louis and will have no further comment on this article.''
It wouldn't appear likely the Rams could be moved anytime soon, even if they were sold. The lease agreement with the Edward Jones Dome requires the team remain in St. Louis at least through the 2015 season, assuming upgrades of the dome have been met, said Brian McMurtry, executive director of the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority.
McMurtry said $30 million is currently being spent on improvements expected to be completed by July 2009, including a new scoreboard.
The Yahoo story quoted DeBartolo as having ``slight'' interest in purchasing the Rams.
Of a return to Los Angeles, DeBartolo told Yahoo, ``It would be something to look at ... But it wouldn't be my first choice of a franchise if I chose to get back in.''
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