A public hearing regarding a plan that would allow an NFL team to play at the Rose Bowl -- if and when Los Angeles gets a franchise -- on Monday night in Pasadena drew overwhelming opposition to the proposal.
Forty-eight residents spoke during a 2 1/2-hour long public comment. Of those 48 speakers, 39 were opposed to the plan. The City Council had yet to make a decision by 11:30 p.m.
[UPDATE, 7:05 a.m.] The council voted 7-1 to approve the plan.
The historic stadium would be the team's temporary home until a new stadium is constructed in Southern California. The plan requires an amendment to the Arroyo Seco Public Lands ordinance, allowing an increase in the number of large-scale events at the Rose Bowl.
An NFL team has yet to commit to a move to Los Angeles. If a team does move to LA, the proposed plan under discussion Monday night would allow the team to play at the Rose Bowl for five years.
Neighbors have voiced concerns about game day traffic and rowdy fans around the stadium.
"I've been to a couple of NFL games and I've seen the people, the crowds, that go, and I'm not convinced they follow a whole lot of rules," one resident said.
But the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce points to $10 million in annual revenue that could help curb the over-budgeted $200 million Rose Bowl renovations.
The amended ordinance would increase the number of large-scale events at the Rose Bowl, home to the UCLA Bruins, from 12 to 25. Officials also must consider an Environmental Impact Report.
In September, development plans and an Environmental Impact Report for a football stadium in downtown LA were approved. The deal with AEG is dependent on the league agreeing to move a team to the city.
A team transfer would have to be approved during a meeting of NFL owners, with the next meeting scheduled for March after the current season ends.
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The LA Coliseum is another possible temporary home for an NFL team.
The LA region has been without an NFL team since 1994, when the Raiders moved to Oakland and the Rams moved from Anaheim to St. Louis.
