Judge Dismisses Governor from St. Louis Stadium Lawsuit

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – A judge in Missouri’s capital city has dismissed Gov. Jay Nixon from a lawsuit challenging the effort to build a new professional football stadium in St. Louis.
Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem on Thursday also ordered the lawsuit to be transferred to St. Louis Circuit Court.

The lawsuit was filed by Republican Rep. Jay Barnes, of Jefferson City, on behalf of six lawmakers who want to block Nixon and the Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority from taking steps to finance a new stadium for the St. Louis Rams.

Nixon appointed a two-man task force to lead a St. Louis stadium effort as a counter-proposal to an attempt by Rams owner Stan Kroenke to move the team to a new stadium in the Los Angeles area.