The legal battle between billionaire sports mogul Stan Kroenke and the City of Inglewood has intensified, with Kroenke's companies now demanding nearly $400 million in reimbursements for public infrastructure built around the iconic SoFi Stadium. This clash pits one of the world's wealthiest team owners against the local government of the city hosting some of the globe's biggest sporting events.
From Billboard Dispute to a Multi-Million Dollar Demand
The conflict first erupted over digital billboards. Inglewood approved a contract with WOW Media in April to install up to 60 digital signs around the Hollywood Park complex, home to Kroenke's $5.5 billion SoFi Stadium. Kroenke's legal team argued this violated a 2015 development agreement that prohibited billboards near the venue, claiming it would threaten exclusive sponsorships and enable "ambush marketing" during major events like the World Cup and Olympics.
However, a judge rejected these arguments, ruling the development agreement itself was invalid because it was improperly enacted. "We have every right to use public land for what we want to do," Inglewood Mayor James Butts stated in an interview, dismissing the notion that Kroenke's companies could control city land.
The Core Claim: Saving the City from Bankruptcy?
With the original agreement voided, Kroenke's companies have launched a new offensive. They claim the city owes them $376 million for public roads, sewers, police, and fire protection infrastructure they funded for the 300-acre Hollywood Park development. Notably, the massive project, which includes the stadium, a 6,000-seat YouTube Theater, and residential buildings, was built without public financing.
Kroenke's legal filings assert the project "literally saved the city from bankruptcy." A spokesperson for Hollywood Park said the city's decision to unilaterally void the agreement after a decade is unlawful, forcing them to take legal action to protect their investment.
The city counters that without a valid development agreement, it cannot legally reimburse a private entity with public funds. "This isn't about SoFi and what's already been built," said city attorney Louis 'Skip' Miller. "It's about public funds being paid to a private party going forward — for which the law requires a valid agreement."
A Pattern of High-Stakes Confrontations
This is not Kroenke's first major legal fight over a sports franchise. He moved the Rams from St. Louis to Los Angeles in 2016, a decision that ended in a $790 million settlement after years of litigation. The current case, Pincay Re LLC v. City of Inglewood, is being heard in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The stakes are high for Inglewood, now nicknamed the "City of Champions." The area boasts not only SoFi Stadium but also the new $2 billion Intuit Dome, home to Steve Ballmer's LA Clippers. Ballmer's companies have also sued over the billboard issue. With the 2026 World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, and 2028 Olympics on the horizon, the outcome of this dispute will significantly impact the city's financial and sporting landscape.
As the Rams prepare for their playoff game, their owner is entrenched in a different kind of contest—one where the city's attorneys have a clear message: "billionaires are not above the law."
