ST. LOUIS • The relationship between the St. Louis Rams and local officials wasn’t always like this.
Before 2010, before Stan Kroenke exercised his option to buy the rest of the team, and years before he submitted an application to move it to Los Angeles, Rams Park executives and their landlord, the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, had an amiable and productive relationship.
John Shaw, president of the Rams then, and Dan Dierdorf, former chairman of the visitors commission, liked each other, talked regularly, and cut the deals required by the Rams lease — including $30 million in improvements to the Edward Jones Dome, where the Rams play.