Proposed National Football League stadium gets a name and sponsor

It’s just in time for the National Football League owners meeting today in New York City.

The company is pledging $158 million for National vehicle Rental Field, a proposed stadium on the Mississippi riverfront in St. Louis.

According to the St. Louis Business Journal, the proposed stadium will be named National auto Rental Field.

“It is one of the top naming rights deals in the league”, task force co-chairman and former Anheuser-Busch executive Dave Peacock told the Post-Dispatch.

The company, a unit of St. Louis-based Enterprise Holdings, will pay $6.5 million in the first year, with a 2 percent annual inflation escalator every year after that. Owner Stan Kroenke, who also holds a majority stake in English soccer team Arsenal FC, has expressed a desire to move the Rams to Los Angeles. “For now, the important takeaway is the confidence of National Rental vehicle in what this agreement will mean for the NFL and the future of St. Louis”.

Owners of the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders want to move, too, and are combining on a stadium project for Carson, California.

The Rams’ current home, the Edward Jones Dome, was built completely with taxpayer funds, opening in 1995. “In just the last few months, Taylor and his family have announced a $30 million donation to the nonprofit Forest Park Forever for upkeep and renovations of the city’s large central park, $10 million to the St. Louis Symphony’s endowment and $25 million to CityArchRiver, the foundation spearheading the $380 million renovation of the Gateway Arch grounds”. St. Louis stadium task force officials have said repeatedly that they’ve tried to mirror Minnesota’s stadium plan to date.