The Raiders and Chargers have retained a familiar face to Bay Area residents to front their efforts in Los Angeles. Former 49ers president Carmen Policy has been hired to promote a privately-financed stadium proposal in Carson designed to house both of the aforementioned teams, a Raiders official confirmed on Monday evening.
Policy will advocate for the $1.7-billion proposal, which is competing with St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s stadium conception in Inglewood.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Policy will speak with the league at the NFL owners meetings, which will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco.
Policy is well respected in NFL circles and will give increased credibility to the Carson stadium efforts.
The Raiders are Chargers are using the Carson proposal as a backup plan if efforts to build stadiums in their home markets fail.
Policy is familiar with NFL dealings with the Los Angeles market, and has served on past committees regarding relocation to and from the nation’s second-largest city.
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“The two teams have made remarkable progress so far. Since announcing the Los Angeles Stadium plan for Carson on February 20, the teams have – in less than three months – achieved widespread community support for the project and all of the entitlements that are necessary to begin construction,” Policy said in a statement released by the Raiders and Chargers. “It has been an enormously successful effort.
“Now, though, both Mark Davis and Dean Spanos have recognized that the teams are entering a new phase of the process. The focus will now shift away from development entitlements and on to how the teams can guarantee a tremendously successful re-entry of the NFL into the Los Angeles market. The two owners are determined to make the League’s return to Los Angeles a fantastic success, and I’m honored that Mark and Dean believe I can assist in this important work. I am excited to do so.”
Los Angeles relocation will be a hot topic at this week’s owners meetings, as will updates on efforts to build stadiums in San Diego, St. Louis and Oakland.
“Our first priority remains – as it has always been – to find a solution in Oakland,” Raiders owner Mark Davis said in a statement.. “But if we are unable to achieve this goal, we must have an alternative that will safeguard the long-term future of our franchise. And our proposed Los Angeles stadium in Carson is just such an opportunity for the Raiders.”
Policy was a 49ers vice president starting in 1983 and become president and CEO in 1991. Policy ushered in an era of 49ers dominance and was a major part of a team that won four Super Bowls during his tenure. Policy was later president of the Cleveland Browns.
