News of the Arroyo

Title:	City may get Super Bowl; NFL team could be next
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Date:	2002-10-30
Summary:	<b>October 30, 2002</b> -- PSN reporter Gabe Lacques writes: "The Rose Bowl's effort to lure an NFL team to Pasadena is expected to gain steam this week when NFL owners will meet to discuss awarding the city a Super Bowl, possibly in 2008."
Author:	Gabe Lacques, Staff Writer
Publication:	Pasadena Star-News
Content:	PASADENA -- The Rose Bowl\'s effort to lure an NFL team to Pasadena is expected to gain steam this week when NFL owners will meet to discuss awarding the city a Super Bowl, possibly in 2008. Published reports indicate league owners will accept from their Super Bowl committee a recommendation that the \'08 game be played here, an oddity in that Super Bowls are only rewarded to regions that have an NFL team. The owners convene today and Thursday in New York for their annual fall meetings. An NFL spokesman refused to comment specifically on the league awarding the Rose Bowl a Super Bowl. But if Pasadena does receive one, it could be deduced that NFL owners believe a team will be here by \'08. No team has been tabbed for relocation, but possible candidates to move include the San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts, with the New Orleans Saints, one NFL source said, an intriguing dark horse. Rose Bowl General Manager Darryl Dunn said the league\'s consideration of Pasadena for a Super Bowl means the city is making progress with the league. The city of Pasadena, at Dunn\'s recommendation, hired Maryland-based sports consultant John Moag in August to head the effort to revamp the Rose Bowl and lure a team to Southern California. Moag was instrumental in luring the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore seven years ago, and he apparently has the NFL\'s ear again. When asked if the NFL\'s willingness to award the region a Super Bowl means it plans to have a team in place here before then, Moag said Tuesday, \"Let\'s just say their statement is not insignificant.\' \"It\'s an incredibly positive sign, and something we all ought to be very, very happy about,\' Moag said. \"Notwithstanding that, we have a lot of work to do. What the NFL is saying is we have confidence in the community\'s ability to put this together. If you succeed, we\'ll be there. Bottom line, we still have to produce for them.\' Moag said he will announce next week the architectural team to be involved in the project. Capacity in the 80-year-old stadium would likely be reduced from 92,000 to around 65,000, and the revamped facility would be constructed with Super Bowls in mind. Several sports analysts agree that if Pasadena landed an NFL team, it would probably play host to the Super Bowl roughly every four years. The construction process would be three-tiered. First, the stadium must be revamped to meet safety and seismic standards. Then, it must be remodeled to fit modern NFL needs. And it also would need an update to comply with handicapped access per the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Rose Bowl currently does not meet ADA standards, Moag said. Moag said the stadium also would be constructed in a manner that would allow for expanded seating for special events, such as the Rose Bowl Game. The Tournament of Roses has prided itself on having the largest capacity for any bowl game, and a remodeled stadium would threaten that designation. Moag said the plan is to make the stadium expandable, but he doubted it could reach the current capacity of 92,000. \"One thing you can be sure of, this is a building that we want to resemble as much as possible the existing Rose Bowl,\' Moag said. \"You can expect to see pretty much an oval stadium.\' The Rose Bowl still must form a partnership with the NFL and a relocating team for all of this to happen. But if it does get done, it figures to happen quickly, Dunn said. \"This sends a signal from New York that they are also encouraged, and that they want to be here,\' Dunn said. \"(Moag) knows how to do this deal. He\'s done the deal. He has an excellent grasp of the NFL and he\'s also getting a grasp for Pasadena. He needs to bridge the two. \"At the end of day this is Pasadena\'s stadium. We are trying to diligently make sure we have the stadium in a position to be successful long-term.\' -- Gabe Lacques can be reached at (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2239, or at gabe.lacques@sgvn.com.
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