Angels expand development team exploring new Anaheim stadium lease
As an end-of-the-year decision deadline draws closer, Angels baseball officials have brought more experts on board to advise them on the potential to develop land around Anaheim’s stadium.
Anaheim City Manager Chris Zapata announced the news in an update to the City Council on Tuesday, June 4.
Angels President John Carpino told city officials that “Anaheim is their focus” right now, and the team has hired an architect, engineer and financial adviser to its consulting team, which is led by development firm Brooks Street, Zapata told the council, following a May 20 meeting with Carpino and other team officials.
“That’s all extremely positive,” Zapata told the council.
City officials have said they expect a new lease with their stadium’s longtime tenants would be patterned after a 2018 deal made with the Anaheim Ducks to develop land around Honda Center. Developing some of the 155-acre Angel Stadium property could generate millions to renovate or rebuild the 53-year-old venue.
Angels spokeswoman Marie Garvey confirmed in a phone interview that the development team has been expanded, but declined to name specific hires.
The move doesn’t mean the Angels have ruled out other options, such as relocating to Long Beach, Garvey said.
But with a deadline to notify Anaheim in December whether they’ll stay or go, “our focus needs to be on Anaheim to determine if a new lease is possible,” she said, adding, “Long Beach doesn’t have a deadline.”
Several months ago, officials in Long Beach made overtures to the team, proposing a new waterfront stadium.
The city also has formed a team to negotiate with the Angels that will be made up of Mayor Harry Sidhu, Zapata and City Attorney Robert Fabela.
And the city has hired Dan Barrett, who has consulted for other cities in their stadium negotiation, Zapata told the council.
“We go into this with one goal: An agreement that’s good for the residents first and that also works for the people,” Sidhu said at the meeting.
The city expects results of a new appraisal of the stadium property in July.