St. Louis sues NFL, teams over Rams relocation to LA

In this Jan. 14, 2016 file photo, championship banners are removed from the Edward Jones Dome, former home of the St. Louis Rams football team in St. Louis. The start of a new NFL season is bringing no buzz of excitement in St. Louis, left without a team for the second time in three decades. (Jeff Roberson/AP)

ST. LOUIS — The city of St. Louis and that region’s sports authority are suing the National Football League over the Rams’ relocation to Los Angeles.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in St. Louis Circuit Court also names the NFL’s 32 teams as defendants and seeks unspecified damages and restitution.

The lawsuit alleges the Rams failed to meet league relocation rules when leaving for Los Angeles before last season, constituting a contractual breach with St. Louis.

The NFL did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

The lawsuit alleges that St. Louis has lost an estimated $1.85 million to $3.5 million each year in amusement and ticket tax collections, as well as roughly $7.5 million in property taxes. In total, the city will have lost more than $100 million in net proceeds.

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