ATLANTA (AP) -- The Washington Redskins finally got their new owner. NFL owners today voted 31-0 to approve the sale of the Redskins to Daniel Snyder for $800 million from the trustees of the estate of Jack Kent Cooke. Snyder was a member of the group headed by Howard Milstein that withdrew its bid after it became apparent the owners wouldn't approve it. The previous record price for a professional sports franchise was $530 million, paid by Al Lerner last year for the expansion Cleveland Browns. Twenty-four of the 31 owners needed to vote in favor of the sale. Now Snyder, a 34-year-old communications executive, becomes the youngest owner in the league. The widely expected action by the owners today came at the start of their two-day meeting. The finance committee last week recommended that the sale go forward. Snyder has said that for this season he will retain Redskins general manager Charley Casserly and coach Norv Turner. The meetings will be devoted largely to franchise issues, although the owners also will get a look at the new replay system. Replay, in effect from 1986-91, was voted back in last spring. They also are expected to discuss the New England Patriots' decision to stay in the Boston area after withdrawing a commitment to Hartford, Conn. Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci signed legislation Monday that will provide $70 million to help the Patriots build a new stadium. But the most pressing issue might concern Los Angeles. The expansion and finance committees met Monday night to hear the presentations from the two groups seeking franchises. One group is led by entertainment agent Michael Ovitz and the other is headed by real estate moguls Eli Broad and Ed Roski. Ovitz's plan for the Los Angeles Coliseum includes a parking garage covered with trees, grass in front of luxury suites and a cooling system that would spray mist on sweltering fans. The plan, first reported Sunday in The Los Angeles Times, seems to have impressed most of the owners who have seen it. ``It's an exciting juxtaposition of ancient architecture with the Los Angeles scene,'' said Carmen Policy, president of the Browns, who will become the 31st team this fall. But the Times today reported that local and state lawmakers oppose Ovitz's plan as long as it requires using an estimated $225 million in taxpayers' money to build parking structures. ``With 2.5 million uninsured children and adults in this county, with 75,000 children in foster care ... with sidewalks that can't be repaired by the city? Give me a break,'' Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said. ``I'm against giving any city taxpayer money to bring football to Los Angeles,'' Mayor Richard Riordan said. Added Assemblyman Roderick Wright of Los Angeles: ``Why should a lady in Fresno pay for parking spaces for the Coliseum?'' At the March meetings, the league tentatively awarded Los Angeles the 32nd franchise over Houston. But the NFL told Los Angeles it needed to come up with a viable plan by Sept. 15. Broad contends his plan is more practical because of his relationships with area agencies. ``I said I don't want to be negative, but I hope you choose a plan that is not only dazzling, but is also feasible and will get built,'' Broad said. However, the group on Monday reportedly waived that two-year exclusivity agreement with the Coliseum Commission for renovating the stadium and owning a Coliseum team. The NFL already has chosen the Coliseum, the Roski-Broad site, as the setting for the new stadium. But Ovitz's plan might give his group the edge. The franchise will replace the Rams and Raiders, who defected to St. Louis and Oakland after the 1994 season. The Broad-Roski group claims to hold a special right to bring the NFL back to the Coliseum. If the owners decide on Ovitz's plan, their claim could hurt Los Angeles' chance of meeting the deadline set by the owners. League officials also have said if Los Angeles seemed close to a new plan, it might be considered to have met the deadline. -=-=- 