The plan to bring an NFL stadium to the old Hollywood Park site in Inglewood just took its first big step forward—the developers, who include St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke, not incidentally, have followed through on their promise to take the proposal to the ballot, collecting more than 20,000 signatures from Inglewood residents, more than twice as many as they actually need—8,400, or 15 percent of the population, was the minimum required, according to the LA Times. If the city can validate enough of the signatures (and there's plenty of cushion), a proposal to rezone the massive Hollywood Park for a football stadium could go on the ballot as early as this summer.

The developers want to move fast here and the ballot initiative will help them do that; a vote will help them skirt a city planning process that would have to include a length, costly environmental review (the kind that are often challenged in court, causing further delays). Stockbridge Capital was already beginning work on a massive multi-use redevelopment of the old Hollywood Park racetrack site when the plan was announced a few weeks ago to add 60 acres, an 80,000-seat stadium, a performing arts center, and more office and retail space. These guys want to start work on that part of the plan as early as December, "with or without a team on board."

No team has signed up to fill a Los Angeles professional football stadium, but Kroenke's Rams has to be a top contender as they've announced their intention to change their lease in St. Louis to a year-to-year option. The moving deadline has passed for next season, so all NFL teams will be staying put for at least another year. This is also not the only NFL stadium in the works in Los Angeles, so the notoriously controlling NFL will have its pick of plans if it does decide to move a team.

· Rams Owner Planning to Build an NFL Stadium in Inglewood [Curbed LA]

· The High Public Cost of the Proposed Inglewood NFL Stadium [Curbed LA]