Expert Says Angels Fans Would Park in High-Rise

Tall parking structures have not kept fans from sports events at stadiums across the country, nor would they keep Angels fans from attending Anaheim Stadium, a stadium expert testified Wednesday in a trial pitting the City of Anaheim against the California Angels.

Besides, the number of parking spaces at the stadium--with or without the planned high-rise structures--is “excessive” in contrast to comparable stadiums across the country, and fans would not be inconvenienced, said William A. Cunningham, former president of the International Assn. of Auditorium Managers.

Cunningham testified for Anaheim as the city prepares to wrap up its case next week in the $100-million lawsuit filed by Goldenwest Baseball Co., parent company of the Angels, to block construction of high-rise office towers and parking structures on 68 acres of the stadium parking lot.

A major question in the trial is whether the loss of surface parking spaces would inconvenience fans.

‘Unique Individuals’

Cunningham, who managed Oakland Coliseum in Oakland for 16 years, said fans are “unique individuals” who will go to great lengths to support a team. And if that means driving through stop-and-go traffic and putting on walking shoes to get from a parking lot to the stadium, they will, he said.

From his 30 years in the industry, Cunningham said he would describe sports fans as “tolerant” and loyal.”

“If they want to get to a ballgame, they will,” Cunningham testified in Orange County Superior Court.

In most large stadiums in the United States, fans’ loyalty is often tested as they must walk a while before reaching the stadium, Cunningham said. But at Anaheim Stadium, that is not the case, he said.

“I really can’t believe that would be any kind of problem,” Cunningham said.

City officials have consistently said that the parking structures would increase, not decrease, the number of parking spaces.

The Angels, however, have argued that fans do not want to tackle parking structures. Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth, the final witness for the Angels’ case, testified earlier this summer that high-rise development would “dramatically damage” the Angels. “You might as well plow it under,” Ueberroth said then of Anaheim Stadium.

In comparing Anaheim Stadium with Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Cunningham noted similarities. Both the Angels and the Cardinals were pennant contenders last year; the Angels drew about 2.5 million people and the Cardinals about 2.6 million. But the Cardinals drew more fans with fewer parking spaces, Cunningham said.

Another similarity between the proposed project in Anaheim and Busch Stadium in St. Louis is development built in 1979-80 on the St. Louis stadium parking lot, which eliminated about 900 parking spaces, Cunningham said. Other stadiums that lost surface parking spaces as a result of developments include those in Cincinnati, Minnesota and Philadelphia, he said.

In all cases, no stadium was hurt by the loss of surface spaces, Cunningham testified during the non-jury trial.

Anaheim Stadium has 14,465 parking spaces, Anaheim attorney Michael D. Rubin said. At the end of 10 years, the completed buildings will take 2,191 surface parking spots, he said. But after the city adds land, paves and restripes 20 acres of the parking lot into a different configuration, the number of parking spaces will increase to 14,695, Rubin said. In addition, each parking structure will have about 1,200 parking spaces. Final plans for parking structures on additional development on 48 acres of the stadium have not been drawn, so figures for that site are not available.

Angels attorney Donald L. Morrow said after the morning proceedings that Cunningham was comparing “apples and oranges.” Many of the stadiums reviewed had parking structures from the stadiums’ inception, he said. Noting Southern California’s dependence on the automobile, Morrow also commented that “to say people in Southern California don’t rely on their cars is ridiculous.”

Cunningham was scheduled to continue testifying today. Once the city wraps up its case, attorneys for Anaheim Stadium Associates will begin their presentation, which is expected to take about five weeks.

Anaheim Stadium Associates is a partnership that includes Boston-based developer Cabot, Cabot & Forbes and the heirs of late Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom. The high-rise office-parking structure development was promised to Anaheim Stadium Associates as part of a package of amenities designed to lure the Rams to Anaheim in 1978. The Angels protested the development and said the city had no right to give away part of the parking lot without the ballclub’s written approval.

On Friday, the city and the Angels settled out of court several related lawsuits and counter-complaints. Officials from both sides expressed hope last week that the settlement of “peripheral” lawsuits would lead to negotiations about the larger parking lot lawsuit under way in court. But as of Wednesday, no such meetings have been set, according to attorneys for both sides.