The proposed new football stadium would be open air and located on the edge of the Mississippi River.

The proposed new football stadium would be open air and located on the edge of the Mississippi River.

Governor Jay Nixon’s task force, comprised of Bob Blitz and Dave Peacock, unveiled their plans for a new NFL Stadium with the intent of revitalizing a plighted area, known as the North Riverfront area of St. Louis.

The plans and vision for improving the proposed area is impressive, but will it be enough to keep the Rams in Missouri, or draw another NFL team to St. Louis?

The facility will be an open air stadium with 65,000 seats, 30,000 of which are in the lower bowl, along with 7,500 additional club seats, which Peacock says is comparable to newer NFL stadiums. The venue would also be structured to host premier soccer matches.

The stadium would sit right on the edge of the Mississippi River, actually three feet above the 1993 flood stage or 500 year flood stage. The task force is confident this is obtainable.

After an arbitrator ruled in favor the Rams organization that $700 million would be needed to convert the current dome into a top tier NFL facility, the city of St. Louis rejected that proposal. Reports surfaced earlier this week that owner Stan Kroenke has plans to build an 80,000 seat stadium Inglewood, CA.

Click here to see more views of the proposed stadium

A view of the seating arrangements from inside the proposed stadium.

A view of the seating arrangements from inside the proposed stadium.

Peacock has shared the plans with the Rams and the NFL, but admits he has not talked or met with either Kroenke or NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell personally. Peacock says the plan follows the Governor’s strict guidelines which includes the redevelopment of the North Riverfront area. The site is also eligible for brownfield tax credits. The construction of the stadium will add thousands of jobs in addition to retaining the 2,400 game day jobs. The plan includes financial upgrades for the dome, which could draw additional conferences and conventions during the football season. Peacock pledged no new tax burdens on the local tax region and citizens in Missouri.

Peacock said, “The task force is confident that the money is available in such a way that it will not add an incremental burden on the community.” The cost of the project falls in the $860-$985 million range. Peacock said there is public money involved in the project, but he envisions half the funding coming from private sources and fans in the form of seat licenses.

An estimated $400 million to $450 million would come from the NFL and Rams. An additional $460 million to $535 million would come from public sources, including extending current bonds, brownfield tax credits and up to $130 million in seat licenses.

Listen to Dave Peacock on meeting the Governor’s guidelines.

Land preparation could start as early as June with the stadium completed and ready for play in 2020.  Kroenke’s proposed stadium in the L.A. area could be completed by 2018, according to various reports.