Goodell: L.A. stadium plans are 'viable,' 'very exciting'

The return of the NFL to Los Angeles continues to gather momentum.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday that the two stadium projects in the L.A. area are "viable" and that plans in Inglewood and Carson have a "great deal of potential to be successful."

"We had presentations earlier this week that are very exciting," Goodell told The Associated Press. "Not just for a return but to continue being successful going forward."

The NFL hasn't had a team in Los Angeles, the city's second-largest media market, since the Rams and Raiders left town following the 1994 season. Rams owner Stan Kroenke is connected to the $1.8 billion Inglewood project, while the Raiders and Chargersare working together on the $1.7 billion project in Carson.

The deadline to formally apply for a move to Los Angeles is January, though that window could be moved up, according to Goodell. No team can move unless the owners vote in favor of relocation. A vote could occur at the NFL Annual Meeting next March.

The Chargers and Raiders stressed that they will attempt to work out new stadium deals in their current home regions. In a joint statement released in February, the teams explained they "intend to move down two tracks simultaneously."

Meanwhile, a St. Louis-based stadium task force met with league officials on Wednesday, according to the AP. The group showed the NFL plans to build a new stadium along the Mississippi River at the cost of approximately $1 billion.

The question for Rams supporters in St. Louis is whether Kroenke can be swayed from his Los Angeles vision.

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