League Wants to Stay in Stadium-Construction Business

FRISCO, Tex.--The NFL has exhausted the funds in its stadium subsidy program. But Commissioner Roger Goodell said today that the league, the franchise owners and the players' union will study ways to continue to be business partners with teams in stadium construction.

The owners today approved two grants from the G-3 stadium loan program, one for $300 million to the New York Giants and New York Jets to aid in building a privately financed $1.2 billion facility in the Meadowlands and another for $42.5 million to the Kansas Chiefs to renovate Arrowhead Stadium.

"The existing G-3 program is, for all intents and purposes, over," Giants co-owner John Mara said. "Now it's up to the owners to come up with a new program that we all can agree on."

Goodell's predecessor, Paul Tagliabue, made stadium construction a top priority and the G-3 program was created to aid teams on that front. Goodell said he isn't going to abandon the effort.

"This is the end of the G-3 program in the sense that we've exhausted the funds that were allocated for G-3 purposes," Goodell said. "We believe that stadium construction is important and will remain a priority for the league so we will continue to focus on if there is a league-wide program that makes substantial sense for all clubs, not just the participating clubs in the stadium, and for the league.... Now we'll have to find what the son of G-3 is."

Said New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft: "For our sport to stay in the forefront, we need these stadiums. We're competing for the entertainment dollar."

The next step for the Giants and Jets is to collaborate on getting their new stadium built while still playing games in Giants Stadium alongside the construction site. Mara said the two clubs will have to address some problems arising from the loss of parking spaces.

"Now we've got to get it built, yeah, and try to figure out how to get people in and out of the complex while it's being built," Mara said.

The Giants' other co-owner, Steve Tisch, said: "It is a relief. But it sort of takes this off the table and the bigger issue is building the stadium."

The Giants and Jets hope to open their new stadium in 2010.

"Facilities have to be updated and replaced," Jets owner Woody Johnson said. "... This was an unprecedented opportunity."

The owners said the Giants and Jets should be able to work together peacefully in planning and building the facility.

"We really haven't had a lot of issues," Mara said. "We've made a lot of progress on the design and everything with a minimal amount of division. There's more work to be done, but the partnership has been functioning very smoothly. There are clearly not two separate agendas, which is great."

By Mark Maske |  December 7, 2006; 8:41 PM ET  | Category:  Giants , Jets , League
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