Until now, the civic imbroglio involving super-developer Ed Roski's plan to build a 600-acre football stadium and retail complex at the crossroads of the 60 and 57 freeways has been confined to local belligerents. Namely, Roski's Majestic Realty company, the captive government of the City of Industry and the hostile residents and city council of Walnut. The high-decibel debates over traffic, noise and whether Roski can coax a National Football League team to move to Industry have been regarded by Angelenos like some quaint events at the County Fair — NIMBY Roping, say, or City Council Pole Greasing.
No more. Last week Roski's maneuvering came up on the Sacramento Bee's radar when a special environmental waiver for the project was sought in the state legislature. It breezed through the Assembly, but was then put on hold by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg.
“Industry has hired a squad of well-connected lobbyists to pass the
stadium measure,” reported the Bee, “and also promote its scheme to allow cities to extend
soon-to-expire redevelopment projects in return for allowing the state
to shift some redevelopment funds to the deficit-ridden state budget.”
Now
San Diego's Mayor Jerry Sanders is crying personal foul over the bill's
Assembly success, and is rallying San Diego politicians and
representatives to block its passage in the Senate.
“I am very
disappointed,” the mayor said, “by the rushed action taken last week by
the State Assembly to approve AB X3 81, which provides environmental
exemptions to the City of Industry as it pursues the development of a
new NFL stadium.”
Sanders has much to be disappointed about — San Diego News Network.com notes
that one good friend of Roski's is San Diego Chargers owner Alex
Spanos. The fear down south is that Spanos would move the Chargers to
Industry, should Roski's legal opposition fold and clear the way for
construction.
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