Stan Kroenke has immense power as the principal owner of the St. Louis Rams, but he made no assurances that the franchise will stay in St. Louis over the long-term during the introductory press conference for new head coach Jeff Fisher. As pointed out by Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the team's stadium lease with the city's Convention and Visitors Commission on the Edward Jones Dome contains a provision that would allow the Rams to leave if it is not deemed a "first-tier" facility among the top eight stadiums in the NFL.
When asked about his long-term plans, Kroenke chose his words carefully:
"I think this is all out there. The chronology of what occurs with the lease is public knowledge. I think for me to comment on that process is particularly (un)timely. The city, or the (stadium) authority, they're dealing with their side of it. And they present a proposal to us by Feb. 1. So there's a team in place that deals with all that. So we'll see how that process sorts itself out. But it's a thing that takes place over time."
via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Kroenke did mention that he has been in St. Louis for 20 years with the franchise, but when asked if he sees the franchise in the city for another 20 years, he responded only by saying "we'll see how that process works out." With so much suddenly going right for the Rams, from the Jeff Fisher hiring to the number two overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft, there is still a dark cloud looming over the process until Kroenke gives more information on his long-term plans with the franchise and whether he will take the team to Southern California when he gets a chance.
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