A return of L.A. Rams? Owner is said to buy possible stadium site

The owner of the St. Louis Rams has bought a large piece of land in Inglewood, Calif., that potentially could be used for an NFL stadium, multiple individuals with knowledge of the transaction have told the Los Angeles Times.

Missouri billionaire Stan Kroenke bought a 60-acre parking lot, land originally owned by Wal-Mart before the grocery chain failed to get public approval for a superstore.

The Rams neither confirmed nor denied that Kroenke had purchased the land and declined to comment on the situation.

Los Angeles has been without an NFL franchise since the Rams and Raiders left after the 1994 season. In St. Louis, the Rams haven't worked out a stadium deal and, in accordance with their lease, are able to move after the 2014 season. The Rams have said necessary renovations to the St. Louis stadium would cost $700 million, more than the proposed $124 million offered by the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission.

While Kroenke's purchase puts additional pressure on St. Louis to come to the bargaining table, the 60 acres is probably too small to fit a stadium and the required parking. The Times reports an adjacent 238-acre site is owned by Stockbridge Capital Partners, which intends to transform the recently closed Hollywood Park Racetrack into a modern residential community. It is unclear whether Kroenke would attempt to purchase a portion of the land for a stadium.

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