Talks over Rams' lease have St. Louis on edge

ST. LOUIS -- Fans are wondering about the fate of football in St. Louis as a deadline approaches for a plan to upgrade the home of the Rams.

Wednesday is the deadline for the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission to outline how it will transform the Edward Jones Dome into a "first-tier" stadium by 2015. If it fails to do so, the Rams can break their lease -- and potentially move -- after the 2014 season.

The commission has been meeting with city and county officials for several weeks on how to upgrade the dome and how to pay for the renovations. No one is discussing details. Messages left with Mayor Francis Slay's chief of staff, Jeff Rainford, and St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley's spokesman, Mac Scott, were not returned.

Commission president Kathleen Ratcliffe declined comment. The commission said in a statement that the likelihood of success "is enhanced when the parties can make a frank exchange of information, on an ongoing confidential basis."

The stakes could be high.

Los Angeles is seeking an NFL team. Rams owner Stan Kroenke is a Missouri native and played a pivotal role in bringing the team to St. Louis 17 years ago. But he owns an estate in Malibu, reportedly is interested in buying the Los Angeles Dodgers and has been noncommittal about the future of his football team.

Adding to the worry was the announcement this month that the Rams would play a "home" game in London each of the next three seasons. Commissioner Roger Goodell repeatedly has spoken of possibly locating a team in London one day, and Kroenke is a majority shareholder in the English soccer club Arsenal.

Kroenke did not return messages seeking comment.