St. Louis Stadium Proposal Gets Backing

According to a report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, an aldermanic committee backed the proposal where St. Louis would finance $150 million of a proposed $1 billion riverfront football stadium Thursday. The committee vote was 7-2.

The bill will move on to a vote of the full Board of Aldermen next and they are expected to debate the matter Friday. The actual vote willl not take place until next week in a special session.

The approval of the proposal Thursday was a big victory for those in favor of a new stadium. According to the Post-Dispatch, the eight-person Ways and Means Committee included a number of skepitcal alderman. But behind-the-scenes negotiations, largely involving a minority inclusion program for workers who would build the stadium, got the necessary votes.

If the full board approves the plan, there are still several uncertainties including the fact St. Louis requires backing from the NFL and the team's owner.

The NFL is expected to decide next month whether the Rams will move to Los Angeles or remain in St. Louis.