You're not moving a NFL team out of the southeast. Go try somewhere else.

No harm in trying, right?

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/20756873/falcons-owner-la-wants-team


ATLANTA -
FOX 5 has learned that the city of Los Angeles has expressed interest in acquiring the Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is warning city council members about business interests in Los Angeles who want to move the Falcons to the west coast. Team owner Arthur Blank shared that information with top city and state officials in their discussions about financing a new stadium in downtown Atlanta.

Two council members who met with Mayor Kasim Reed told FOX 5's Morse Diggs about private discussions the mayor hosted at City Hall.

Reed called in council members one at a time to tell them that the city needs to take a more aggressive lead in the public financing portion of the proposed open air stadium.

The Falcons would foot most of the $1-billion bill for the new stadium, but the state would have to come up with $300 million, most of which would come from an extension of a current hotel-motel tax. The move would require the state legislature to increase the World Congress Center's debt limit by $100 million.

Earlier, Gov. Nathan Deal said the climate at the state Capitol would not be favorable for the state to take the lead.

Council members also reported the mayor described Blank as being willing to increase the percentage the Falcons might pay to make the billion dollar deal possible.

The city of Los Angeles has been without an NFL franchise for almost two decades. In 1994, the Rams moved to St. Louis. A year later, the Raiders relocated to Oakland. Los Angeles remains the largest metropolitan area without pro football, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly wants a team in the city.