ST. LOUIS • The Rams cannot play "home" games more than 4,000 miles away in London under the terms of its lease here, the public agency that runs the Edwards Jones Dome said Friday.

The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission contends that the Rams' plan to play one home game at London's Wembley Stadium each year for the next three seasons would violate the team's 30-year lease of the Dome.

That lease is under increased scrutiny, as the CVC tries to figure how to close an escape clause that could let the Rams skip town after the 2014 season.

A section of the lease calls for the team "to play all its home NFL Games (other than pre-season NFL Games) at the Facilities." The Rams can disregard this rule if the Dome is not in usable condition or if the lease has been terminated, according to that section of the lease.

Wednesday is the deadline for the CVC to present the Rams with a detailed plan for improving the Dome — to satisfy the lease's requirement that it be a "first tier" stadium, or one that's in the top 25 percent of all National Football League venues.

The Rams announced last week that the team would play in London, starting with a game this year against the New England Patriots. All the games would be classified as Rams' home games, meaning the team would get a higher percentage of ticket receipts than the "visiting" NFL teams in the London games.

The games would be a financial boost for the Rams. NFL teams that have played in London have been guaranteed ticket revenue equivalent to a sellout, plus expenses.

Wembley Stadium seats 82,000, while the Dome seats 66,000. General admission tickets at the Dome ranged from $25 to $160 this season; prices for the Rams-Patriots game at Wembley will range from $70 to $155.

Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who also owns London's Arsenal soccer club, called the move "a tremendous honor for our franchise."

In its three-sentence statement, which was emailed to the Post-Dispatch on Friday afternoon, the CVC agreed with Kroenke's assessment, saying the game would "elevate an awareness of St. Louis on the global stage, much as the Saint Louis Symphony's upcoming (European) tour will do."

The statement continued: "That said, our lease with the Rams requires that the Rams play all their home games in the Edward Jones Dome. We immediately brought this to the Rams' attention and are awaiting their reply."

CVC President Kathleen "Kitty" Ratcliffe was out of the office Friday and could not be reached for comment. Hotel executive Robert O'Loughlin, chairman of the CVC's Board of Commissioners, also could not be reached for comment.

Kevin Demoff, the Rams' executive vice president of football operations, did not respond to a request for comment.

The CVC manages the Dome, and it is responsible for negotiating "first tier" improvements that would keep the lease in force through 2025.

The CVC's board met Wednesday, and the lease was scheduled to be discussed, said a board member.

The issue did not come up during the public part of the meeting. The board met in closed session for about 20 minutes, but the CVC would not say what was discussed. The board is not scheduled to meet again before the Wednesday deadline for giving its Dome improvement plan to the Rams.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley each appoint five members of the CVC's board. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon appoints the commission chairman.

Dooley spokesman Mac Scott said his boss supports the commission's position on the London games. "We agree with the CVC's understanding of the lease," Scott said.

Jeff Rainford, the chief of staff for Slay, agreed.

"I think it's obvious that the Rams expect the CVC to adhere to the terms of the lease," Rainford said. "And I think it's reasonable for CVC to expect the Rams adhere to the lease."

The Patriots likely would be unwilling to swap home field status with the Rams at Wembley. New England owner Robert Kraft said last week that the team was unwilling to give up a home game at its stadium in Massachusetts, even if it meant getting a larger share of the receipts in London.

Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.