A new Edward Jones Dome renovation plan was submitted to the Rams on Monday, and while most expect the team to turn down the offer, it presents a significantly closer offer that, if accepted, would ensure the Rams stay in St. Louis.
The first stadium proposal from St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission (CVC) was for a stadium renovation that was estimated to cost about $124 million and the cost would be split between the Rams and CVC. The Rams rejected the deal and rebutted with a proposal of their own that was reportedly estimated by city officials to cost about $700 million.
While the newest proposal doesn't come close to approaching the Rams' figure, it does represent a significant increase in the dollar amount, according to Kitty Ratcliffe, president of the CVC.
"It's not doubling or anything like that," Ratcliffe told Jesse Bogan of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. "We know it will be tens of millions more."
The renovation plans come due to a requirement in the team's lease that Edward Jones Dome is a "first tier" stadium by the year 2015. Otherwise, the Rams will have the potential option to leave the city if a renovation to meet the requirement is not accomplished.
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