Lurie is exploring his options.
Add the name Jeffrey Lurie to the list of National Football League owners who are unhappy with their stadium situations. The Philadelphia Eagles franchise owner has entered into the stadium game. The goal probably is to get a stadium bidding war started involving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Lurie’s team has played in two stadiums in south Philadelphia since 1971. Veteran Stadium hosted Eagles and Major League Baseball’s Philadelphia Phillies games until 2002-2003. Lurie’s business moved into a new facility in 2003. That building does not have a roof and that may be a problem for Lurie. But Lurie seems to be dithering on whether he wants a roof on his facility or whether he wants his team to play in a cold weather facility. Does he want to stay in the present facility and renovate the venue or just build a new one?
“It’s a long process,” Lurie said. His current lease in south Philadelphia runs through 2032. “Whatever’s best for the fans,” he continued. “I mean, we don’t really go on a geographical basis. It’s whatever’s best for the fans and I can’t tell you where Cleveland is, Barcelona is. Bottom line is whatever’s best for the fans. I don’t want to leave any stone unturned. And that’s why we’re doing the research. It is interesting to look at the Barcelonas, Madrids and other pretty interesting renovations. And, of course, the new stadiums. You learn every time you see a new stadium. We’re going to learn from Nashville and Buffalo and whatever else, Cleveland may be coming online and what their design is. And I think if you’re just humble about it and open that you don’t have all the answers and do the exploratory work, you’ll end up with a better long-term situation.” The Eagles stadium game has begun.
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