ANAHEIM, CA – On Wednesday morning, the city of Anaheim and Mayor Harry Sidhu announced the Angels will purchase the 153-acre land that includes Angel Stadium of Anaheim and the surrounding stadium land from the city.
Negotiations have been on going for several years between the Los Angeles Angels and the city of Anaheim on how to keep the team in the city. If a deal couldn’t be reached there was also talk of team owner Arte Moreno possibly building a waterfront stadium in Long Beach.
However the proposed agreement will be considered by the City Council on December 20th, 2019 should keep the team in place.
“We appreciate the Mayor’s leadership in working to keep the Angels here in Anaheim, which has been our home for over 50 years. Today is the first step in enabling us to invest in our future by building a winning team and delivering a high-quality fan experience,” Moreno said in a statement.
The land and stadium will be sold for about $325 million, under the proposed outline of a deal that Anaheim City Council members were briefed on.
The Angels have yet to make a decision on if they will renovate the stadium or build a brand new stadium on the same property. It was also discussed how the Angels could develop an entertainment complex around the stadium site to make it more attractive to fans who attend games, concerts, etc.
As the stadium’s owner, Moreno’s partnership would be required to provide parking at the current level of 12,500 spaces, which will likely require building a costly parking garage as development moves forward. The team also would be solely responsible for either making millions in stadium repairs or building a new venue.
The Angels have hired HKS Architects – which designed Minnesota Vikings new NFL stadium and is working on a new ballpark for the Texas Rangers – looks to explore their options, according a team spokesperson Marie Garvey.
It’s not only a big move for the Angels off the field but now they can focus more on what happens on the field during these Winter Meetings. Hopefully with a permanent home in place, the free agents will descend upon The Big A by the case loads.
