Controversial Rams Owner Stan Kroenke Has Returned To Public Eye (Video)

Here is iFolloSports.com original video of controversial Rams owner Stan Kroenke, prior to the team’s final preseason game at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. In the clip, Kroenke is speaking with Rams Executive VP of Football Operations/Chief Operating Officer Kevin Demoff.

Kroenke was born in Columbia, Missouri, two hours west of St. Louis, the franchise’s home from 1995-2015. Despite having lifelong roots in the Show Me State, the billionaire real estate mogul and Walmart heir (wife Ann is the daughter of Bud Walton and niece of Sam Walton) did everything in his power to move the Rams franchise back to its original home, despite the city’s and state’s efforts the keep the team in St. Louis by proposing to build a new $1.1 billion stadium. The Mississippi River adjacent venue would have included a $400 million public contribution.

Kroenke was given the nickname “Silent Stan” after rarely showing his face around St. Louis the last few years, as stadium negotiations and rumors of relocation swirled. The 69-year-old businessman now stands as one of the most vilified figures in the entire state of Missouri.

Even though the Rams spectacular new $2.6 billion LA area stadium and entertainment complex (opens in 2019) is privately funded, Kroenke believes he will incur a significantly greater return on investment by having his team take the field in the massive and formerly empty Los Angeles market.

Perhaps Kroenke was getting ideas from the Vikings new digs to incorporate in the design of his Inglewood (CA) project, which some have nicknamed “Kroenke World.”  The architectural firm HKS was tasked with designing both the Vikings and Rams new home venues.