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City Council Committee Discusses Convention Center Options In Case Farmers Field Falls Through

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Members of a City Council committee met Wednesday to discuss options for renovating the Los Angeles Convention Center in case AEG's proposed Farmers Field stadium falls through the cracks.

The Ad Hoc Committee on the Downtown Stadium and Convention Center Renovation wants the city to discuss alternative options for the improvement of the Convention Center with the Urban Land Institute.

"We may be able to address in another fashion by either ground leasing or selling the West Hall site for a hotel or retail. And using those funds to help redesign and rebuild the Convention Center as it's contemplated with the NFL deal," said Gerry Miller, the city's chief legislative analyst.

Last year, the council approved a deal with the Anschutz Entertainment Group for the development of a NFL stadium and a $315 million convention center hall.

The agreement, which expires in Oct. 2014, can only move forward if an NFL owner commits to moving a team to Los Angeles.

There were reports, however, that the NFL is unsure about the stadium plan.

"It was reported today in the paper that the NFL continues to look at the Chavez Ravine site. At the end of the day, the NFL is gonna need to make the decision about where they wanna be in the Los Angeles area," said Miller.

Councilman Tom LaBonge said, "Why there is not an owner in some city who says they want to go to Los Angeles is beyond me."

Miguel Santana, the city's chief operating officer, said the Farmers Field project is still "plan A."

"It is a very strong plan A and we're still hopeful that the plan A will happen," said Santana.

(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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