November 26, 2021: On Wednesday, the city said that the National Football League and Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke is reaching a settlement with officials in St. Louis for $790 million.

The settlement stems from a lawsuit from the Rams’ relocation to Los Angeles in 2016. St. Louis County and the Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority sued the NFL and the Rams. They claim the league did not honor its relocation policy and held good faith negotiations to prevent the Rams from relocating from St. Louis.

“This historic agreement ends a long chapter for our region, which secures hundreds of millions of dollars for our communities while they avoid the uncertainty of the trial and appellate process,” said St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and county executive Sam Page, in a joint statement. “The City, County, and STLRSA are still determining the way settlement funds will be allocated.”

“The NFL and the city of St. Louis, St. Louis County, and the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority can resolve the dispute fully,” added NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy. “We appreciate the work by all parties to reach a settlement and thank Judge Jack Garvey for his service as a mediator.”

The settlement is coming just before a trial is set for January. Earlier this month, the NFL and Rams lost their effort to have the case tried elsewhere in Missouri instead of the team’s former home of St. Louis.

The defendants in the lawsuit are Rams owner Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, the other 31 professional football teams, and their owners. The suit sought almost $1 billion in damages.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported the settlement.

The NFL risks sensitive documents about NFL owners’ finances from the public if the case reaches trial. St. Louis Circuit Judge Christopher McGraugh, who handled the case, issued a nearly $44,000 fine to four NFL owners for failure to turn over the financial documents last October. One more hearing on the matter was also scheduled in December.

St. Louis officials sought financial damages they are claiming they suffered when the Rams moved to Los Angeles. The move is leaving St. Louis with debt on the team’s former stadium, built with public funds.

Officials alleged the city lost amid $1.85 million and $3.5 million per year in amusement and ticket tax collections, one more $7.5 million in property tax, and $1.4 million in sales tax, which totaled more than $100 million lost in annual revenue.

The suit also claims the County of St. Louis lost hotel, property, and sales tax revenue after the Rams relocated. According to the case, the impact on the state totals more than $15 million, which used figures from the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

According to the suit, St. Louis officials sought a piece of the increased valuation associated with the Rams’ relocation.