LED lights, SWITCHES and between :)

Why not start the counter running when led1 gets turned on - then turn on LED2 1s later?

library ieee;
use ieee.std_logic_1164.all;
use ieee.numeric_std.all;
entity test_mode_tst	 is
	port (
		CLK_50MHz: in std_logic;
		IF1  : IN STD_LOGIC;    		--InfraRed 1
		IF2  : IN STD_LOGIC;				--InfraRed 2
		LED1 : in STD_LOGIC; 		    --Dont get into the habit of using buffer - it can cause problems
		GRID1: out STD_LOGIC;		    
		GRID2: out STD_LOGIC		    
	);
end test_mode_tst;
architecture rtl of test_mode_tst is
  signal cnt    : unsigned(24 downto 0) := (others => '0'); -- must be initialised as you have no reset
                                                            -- would otherwise be U in simulation
                                                            
  signal led1_i  : std_logic;
  signal led1_r  : std_logic;
begin
  LED1    <= IF1 and IF2;
  led1_i  <= IF1 and IF2;
  
  process(CLK_50MHZ)
  begin
    if rising_edge(CLK_50MHZ) then
      led1_r  <= led1_i;
      
      GRID1 <= '0';
      GRID2 <= '0';
            
      if led1_i = '1' and led1_r = '0' then --rising edge of led1
        cnt   <= cnt + 1;   -- start counter
        
      elsif cnt /= 0 then
        cnt   <= cnt + 1;   -- keep counting
        
      elsif cnt >= 50000000-1 then -- 1s later
        cnt <= (others => '0');
        GRID1 <= '1';
        GRID2 <= '1';
      end if;
    end if;
  end process;
end arcitecture rtl;