Leiweke: 'It’s easy to take shots'

AEG chief Tim Leiweke kept to the us versus them message in remarks today to reporters asking him about public doubts over his company's NFL stadium plans for Downtown. He said a formal proposal coming this week would back up his assertions that the stadium behind Staples Center would not cost taxpayers anything, and took another swipe at skeptics.

“When the proposal gets there, everyone’s going to take a deep breath and realize: There is zero risk to the taxpayer,” Leiweke said. "This is people trying to scare people. And it’s a shame. Because we have a 30% unemployment rate in this city, for the construction industry. And if people think that’s going to be solved by sitting here and throwing rocks, they’re wrong.”

The NFL has reacted enthusiastically the proposal, said Leiweke, who called the project the largest private investment in a stadium in league history.

“Almost every other community in the world would be throwing parades,” Leiweke said. “But here we shoot."

That’s a classic Los Angeles reaction, the AEG boss said he told NFL officials. “I told them, 'Hey, it’s L.A. It’s the way we do things.’"

Also: Here's Mayor Villaraigosa's new video pitch for the stadium: