NFL May Pursue Site, if Not Davis

The NFL, now expecting Los Angeles billionaire Marvin Davis to drop out of the expansion derby as early as Monday, is seriously considering the surprising move of assuming Davis’ option on a stadium site at Hollywood Park.

It’s unclear if Hollywood Park would be agreeable to such an arrangement, but it’s one more startling indication of the league’s desire to still place an expansion franchise in Los Angeles.

Rather than paying $250,000 Friday, Davis requested and received a week’s extension on Hollywood Park’s deadline to pick up a second option on nearly 100 acres across the street from the Forum.

The NFL, skeptical from the outset at Davis’ interest, torqued up the pressure on him after learning of his request to extend the Hollywood Park option by expressing concern Friday about Davis’ gaming interests.

The league had an attorney advise Davis that owning a riverboat casino in Branson,Mo., and plans to acquire another casino in Rosemont, Ill., do not conform with league policy.

Davis, who was ready to withdraw this past Wednesday according to sources in his office before being urged forward by a few NFL owners, is hoping to make a graceful exit using the NFL’s gaming restrictions as his excuse.

Davis refused comment but said through a spokesman, “It’s not true. We’re still negotiating.”

The league, still searching for a way to return to Los Angeles long past a Sept. 15 deadline it set to announce a decision, could use the Hollywood Park option at least as leverage in its franchise-fee negotiations with Houston.

But it also could use the option to explore the possibilities of building a stadium at Hollywood Park and then auctioning it along with an expansion team to the highest bidder.

The league, pleased with its success in overseeing the return of football to Cleveland in a similar fashion, considered a plan to build a stadium under its control in Los Angeles more than a year ago before Eli Broad and Michael Ovitz pitched battle.

The league believes that Hollywood Park is the only site suitable currently for the return of football, although it continues to pay lip service to the Coliseum and the city of Carson.

The NFL would need the approval of Davis and Hollywood Park to assume the $250,000 option, which could be a problem.

Hollywood Park has already struck a deal with a non-sports business to purchase the land if Davis does not extend the option. Sources said Hollywood Park will not enter a new option agreement with the NFL, although it might consider a very short-term extension.

Hollywood Park might be more inclined to give the NFL the chance to buy the land, setting up a deal so the league could still sell the land to the non-sports business if it eventually chose to abandon the site. That would result in a loss of a little more than $1 million to the league.

The NFL is probably not ready to buy the land but could skirt the agreement between Davis and Hollywood Park by reaching an understanding with Davis. He could extend his option, the league agreeing to cover the cost and then buy the land from him later if successful in putting together a deal in Los Angeles.

Davis still maintains he has an interest in pursuing an expansion team, but those who have dealt with him in the past few days no longer believe him to be serious.

They say he has concluded that it is not a good business deal, and despite promises to John Elway and Denver Bronco owner Pat Bowlen last week that cost would be no factor in providing a sports legacy for his two sons, he’s now unwilling to pay the anticipated $1-billion price tag for a stadium and team.

The league also let it be known to Davis that his interest in football in Los Angeles did not guarantee his approval as team owner. The league needs only eight of 31 votes to block the approval of a prospective owner.

The NFL, looking as if it was leaning toward Houston in recent weeks, now doesn’t appear prepared to award an expansion franchise at its Oct. 5-6 meetings in Atlanta.

Bob McNair, who has led the Houston bid, has reportedly let it be known that if Houston does not receive an expansion bid in Atlanta, he will begin pursuing an existing team with the intention of moving it to Houston.

The NFL might not be opposed to such a threat, contending privately that Houston has a better chance of landing an existing team than Los Angeles. That would give the league more time to complete a deal at Hollywood Park, making it imperative, therefore, to assume the option on the land.

The NFL has another meeting scheduled for Chicago in early November, but Dallas owner Jerry Jones speculated Friday that it could be spring before the league announces who will get its 32nd franchise.

*

* GRUDEN HAS THE GOODS: Oakland Coach Jon Gruden is communicating the idea of winning to the Raiders. Page 7