New NFL Standings: Carson, Hollypark, Coliseum?

NFL owners are expected to award Cleveland an expansion team, an announcement that could come as soon as this week at the league’s annual meetings, which would then pit Houston against Los Angeles in a match race to become the NFL’s 32nd franchise, which would start play in 2001.

At the same time, the New Coliseum Partners, who have been running in place for the last two years as Los Angeles’ politically backed entrant, could be passed by a new prospect just as the competition is officially set to begin.

Michael Ovitz, former Hollywood agent and Disney mogul, has caught the fancy of NFL officials with a San Francisco 49er-like plan for a stadium and shopping mall at the intersection of the Harbor and San Diego freeways in Carson.

The Carson location, which has invited stadium talk previously before being dismissed, has been advanced successfully in recent weeks again by Ovitz, who has been working in conjunction with an Ohio-based mall developer.

“It’s a little early yet, but this project appears to have a lot of potential,” a high-ranking NFL source said. “There are a lot of exciting elements to consider.”

At no time during its dogged campaign-- which has included four presentations to league owners, free pretzels and potato chips and the renting of countless hospitality rooms--have the New Coliseum Partners received such an NFL endorsement.

The New Coliseum Partners, who will make a handshaking appearance here this week led by Los Angeles Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, appear to also have fallen behind Hollywood Park, which recently altered its strategy to the NFL’s satisfaction.

John McKay Jr., working on behalf of Hollywood Park boss R.D. Hubbard, proposed selling a 30-acre piece of property to the NFL, or any NFL-designated owner interested in constructing a stadium on the site. The proposal, which includes at least a $50-million contribution from the city of Inglewood, highlights Hollywood Park’s advantage of having entitlements in place to begin construction on a new stadium immediately.

“At the suggestion of the NFL we modified our prior proposal and Hollywood Park offered to step aside and limit its involvement to that of a seller of land,” McKay said. “It offers the NFL the maximum amount of flexibility.”

Some NFL owners still remain interested in the Dodger Stadium site, but the NFL has been advised by Fox Group officials that their attention will be directed solely on improving Dodger Stadium.

In deference to Ridley-Thomas, Ovitz has declined to go public to date with his stadium proposal, waiting for NFL officials to meet with the Coliseum’s passionate proponent this week in an effort to win his support for a wide-open debate of different sites in Los Angeles.

The New Coliseum, which continues to have the financial support of Edward Roski, co-owner of the NHL’s Kings, has had the exclusive chance to win NFL favor for more than a year after the withdrawal of Peter O’Malley, former owner of the Dodgers. Despite repeated efforts to educate NFL owners about the development of Exposition Park, the surrounding neighborhood and plans to build an entirely new stadium within the walls of the Coliseum, it has yet to shake the perception among owners that the NFL would be returning to a bad area.

Ridley-Thomas, who has beaten back all local challengers to date while maintaining the New Coliseum is making progress with NFL owners, insists once again that nothing has changed despite Ovitz’s overtures.

“Over the last five months nothing has emerged that can rival our proposal,” Ridley-Thomas said. “The Hollywood Park scenario just hasn’t panned out as they projected and I’ve been told directly by Fox executives that the new owners of the Dodgers will not be a factor in football in Los Angeles other than supporting the New Coliseum.

“The Carson [Ovitz] plan is a fleeting notion that has been out there before and is of no concern. We’ve done nothing but get stronger, and we’re looking toward the NFL owners meetings in October and the chance the NFL will have impaneled an expansion committee by then to hear our proposal.”

Houston, which will be represented at these meetings by a large contingent of business and political leaders, including its mayor, is banking on a civil war in Los Angeles in its efforts to ultimately win NFL favor. Jacksonville was the beneficiary of a similar situation in the last expansion process after the NFL became frustrated with St. Louis’ internal bickering.

Robert McNair, who has received NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue’s support in previous bids to secure a team, has stepped forward as Houston’s prospective NFL owner with the endorsement of city officials. Houston, in the process of building a new baseball stadium with public money, has already authorized an additional $200 million in tax revenues for a new football stadium and home for its annual livestock show.

The NFL, which will also entertain proposals to bring back instant replay during these meetings, has no interest in returning to Houston before filling the vacancy in the nation’s second largest media market. But they need Houston to remain ambitious, and have hopes that Houston’s interest will ignite a sense of urgency in Los Angeles, thereby upping the ante once it comes time to start demanding expansion fees.

Cleveland, which so far has four groups vying to buy an expansion team, is expected to pay somewhere between $300 million and $400 million for the privilege of rejoining the NFL fraternity. A new $248-million stadium, which will be completed in time for the 1999 season, is being built with public funds and a $48-million advance from the NFL.

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Key NFL Dates

* Today-Friday: Annual meeting, Orlando, Fla.

* April 13: Signing period ends for restricted free agents.

* April 17: Deadline for old club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents.

* April 18-19: Draft, New York.

* May 18-21: Spring meeting, Miami.

* June 1: Deadline for old clubs to send tender to unsigned, unrestricted free agents to receive exclusive negotiating rights for rest of season if player is not signed by another club by July 15. * Deadline for old clubs to send tender to unsigned, restricted free agents or to extend qualifying offer to retain exclusive negotiating rights.

* June 15: Deadline for old clubs to withdraw original qualifying offer to unsigned, restricted free agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting tender of 110% of previous year’s salary.

* July 15: Signing period ends by 1 p.m. PDT for unrestricted free agents who received June 1 tender.