The San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders have turned to the Walt Disney Company to lead their proposed stadium project in Carson, Calif.
Bob Iger, chairman and chief executive of Disney, was appointed as non-executive chairman on Wednesday by Carson Holdings, which was formed to bring the Chargers and the Raiders to the proposed facility built by the company.
If the NFL approves the plan, Iger would be responsible for hiring the executive responsible for overseeing the day-to-day functioning of the $1.7 billion stadium that would be built on a 168-acre plot of land that is located 13 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.
“Should the owners approve the move, Los Angeles will proudly welcome two incredible teams to our community and build a stadium worthy of their fans,” Iger said in a statement. “LA football fans will enjoy unprecedented access to games during the season, in a state of the art stadium designed to deliver the most entertaining, exciting and enjoyable experience possible.”
The appointment won’t affect Iger’s job at Disney, according to reports. The contract between the two — Iger’s salary will be $1 — allows him to recuse himself in situations of conflict.
“Bob Iger’s inclusion as the chair and the visionary force behind the Carson project is a game-changer,” said Carmen Policy, executive director of Carson Holdings, LLC. “We now have the kind of leadership and expertise that should calm any concerns about any NFL teams going into L.A. and getting off on the right foot and pursuing the right course. And certainly if you’re going to do two teams it really lends a layer of talent and experience, plus unbelievable know-how to the whole effort. Who could we get better to guarantee fan experience than the man who runs the happiest place on earth?”
Disney, which owns ESPN, and Iger have a working relationship with many of the NFL owners as well as commissioner Roger Goodell.
The owners of the Chargers and Raiders are competing with St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who is backing a proposed $1.86 billion, 80,000-seat stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on land he owns near Hollywood Park.
City officials from San Diego, Oakland and St. Louis will be at NFL headquarters in New York on Wednesday to present updates to the owners’ finance, stadium and LA Opportunities committees.
Public forums were held recently by the NFL in the three cities. Teams are required to receive a three-fourths vote from NFL owners — or 24 of 32 owners — in order to be approved for relocation.
The league has not had an NFL team in Los Angeles since the Rams and Raiders departed for St. Louis and Oakland, respectively, in 1995.