News of the Arroyo
Title: | City reads letter by Tagliabue cautiously to-act-as-a-subhead |
Subtitle: | |
Date: | 2003-06-03 |
Summary: | June 4, 2003 - NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabut has sent a letter to Pasadena officials regarding the Rose Bowl prospects for a professional football team, but city officials are acting cautiously about what it means. |
Author: | Gary Scott, Staff Writer |
Publication: | Pasadena Star News |
Content: | PASADENA -- City officials will stay the course in their effort to land a professional football team for the Rose Bowl, saying they do not want to read too much into NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue\'s invitation for a face-to-face meeting. Tagliabue made the request in a May 30 letter to the city. Mayor Bill Bogaard described the letter as \"courteous,\' but said it does not commit the NFL in any way. \"The letter signifies only an interest in continuing the dialogue and a reflection of interest in this possibility, and I would say that\'s about it,\' Bogaard said. City Manager Cynthia Kurtz said that although the letter seems to indicate the city\'s Rose Bowl proposal was well-received, it does not constitute a formal response from the NFL. \"I don\'t want to try to read too many things into the letter other than the basics,\' she said. \"They want to meet with us, that is what we will focus on doing.\' Kurtz is taking a more active role in the NFL discussions now that negotiations have risen to the City Council level. As of Tuesday, no date for the meeting had been set. Tagliabue said he wanted to meet in Pasadena sometime in the next two to three weeks. He did not say whether he would attend or would send a representative. Much of Tagliabue\'s letter is filled with conciliatory and complimentary language about the Rose Bowl and the city\'s efforts to craft a lease proposal to bring the NFL here. \"We are very encouraged by the progress to date and the creative thinking to develop a long-term solution for the Rose Bowl and Pasadena,\' Tagliabue wrote. Sports marketing expert David Carter, who has ties to the Rose Bowl, said the letter\'s tone indicates the league has a more general goal of building credibility in the Los Angeles area. \"The community-at-large has grown a little leery of the NFL and its process. This would go a long way to beat back the community reticence,\' Carter said. \"It is not a clearing of the air by any sense of the imagination, but it\'s probably good the NFL responded the way they did,\' he said. In another sign the NFL is serious about returning to Southern California, the league recently retained the services of Los Angeles law firm Latham & Watkins. Attorney David Rogers, an expert in complex financial and real estate transactions, confirmed he was hired but would not comment on the scope of services he has been asked to provide. John Moag, who is leading Pasadena\'s NFL bid, said Rogers contacted him Tuesday to set up an informal meeting. -- Gary Scott can be reached at (626) 578-6300, Ext. 4458, or by e-mail at gary.scott@sgvn.com. |
Url: |