Sports fans and stadium developers have fantasized for years about luring a pro football team to greater Los Angeles. A block to those dreams lies in practical considerations over where to locate a team until a new stadium goes up. One Southland city may help to solve the problem. That city is not Los Angeles, not Industry, but Pasadena.
The home of the Rose Bowl has begun to huddle with the National Football League. Late next week — including Oct. 29., when UCLA faces off against the Cal Golden Bears — Pasadena will study traffic patterns near the 92,00-seat stadium over four days.
The Pasadena Sun says planners intend to complete the study by December. Five years ago, almost three-quarters of voters in that city approved a ballot measure that endorsed the idea of a permanent NFL presence at the Rose Bowl. Even a short-term arrangement could benefit the city of Pasadena, says the head of the Rose Bowl Operating Company, although his organization has not projected how much money that scenario would generate.
As parties in Pasadena, L.A. and Industry spin their plans, they’re missing one factor: a firm commitment from an NFL franchise to move to these parts.