LOS ANGELES -- The California Senate has given a green light to developers of a proposed 75,000-seat football stadium in the Southern California city of Industry.
The sticking point was an environmental exemption for the construction site. By voting to grant it, lawmakers gave their blessing for the project to move forward.
If signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the bill that was approved Wednesday on a 21-14 vote, would nullify a lawsuit by residents in the neighboring city of Walnut, who claimed that Industry approved the project without sufficiently reviewing its environmental impact.
Why should Vikings fans care? Officials with developer Majestic Realty Co. have said that they would begin approaching teams about moving to the area when the current season ends.
The developer's list of possible targets consists of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Buffalo Bills, the St. Louis Rams, the San Diego Chargers, the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers, and perhaps first and foremost... the Minnesota Vikings.
Representatives for the team have become increasingly vocal about their frustration at the lack of progress on a new, Vikings only football stadium. Owner Ziggy Wilf promised he would not move the Vikings when he purchased the team, but that resolve 'may' be wearing thin.
