Angels Explore Irwindale Move, Consultant Says

According to a consultant for Irwindale’s redevelopment agency, the California Angels are exploring the possibility of moving their baseball franchise from Anaheim to a proposed new stadium in Irwindale as co-tenants with pro football’s Los Angeles Raiders.

“We were approached by a credible third party (inquiring for the Angels),” said Fred Lyte of San Marino, who is serving as redevelopment consultant for Irwindale. “The inquiry was simply if Irwindale would be interested in a dual facility . . . a stadium that would be for both football and baseball.” Lyte declined Friday night to identify the third party.

Angels spokesman John Sevano denied any knowledge that the team was seeking information about a move to another stadium.

“That’s not to say something like this might not happen in the future,” Sevano said. “I just don’t know anything about it at this point.”

Irwindale, population 1,038, is in northeastern Los Angeles County, about 20 miles north of Anaheim. The city has attracted industrial and corporate headquarters in the last 10 years and has been avidly wooing the Raiders in recent months. The city’s redevelopment agency has proposed building a 65,000-seat stadium in a former gravel pit.

Although the Raiders have a contract to remain at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum until 1991, John Herrera, a Raiders’ administrator, has called the National Football League team’s talks with Irwindale “serious.”

By contrast, the Angels are denying any contact with Irwindale. Sevano, the team’s spokesman, said: “Irwindale claims they have an intermediary of the (Angels’) organization seeking information. To my knowledge, nothing like this has happened. It’s a total mystery to me.”

Sevano said the Angels have a contract to use Anaheim Stadium until the year 2001.

But the Angels have made it clear, partly through lengthy court actions, that the team is unhappy with the situation.

The Angels have sued Anaheim over development rights to areas of Anaheim Stadium’s parking lot. The development rights were part of a package that the city used to lure the Los Angeles Rams to Anaheim in 1978. The Angels have alleged that the city granted those development rights to the Rams in violation of the Angels’ lease.