Local News in Brief : Anaheim : Proposals Weighed for Building Sports Arena

The City Council in the next few weeks will consider a proposal from investors interested in building an indoor sports arena to lure a National Basketball Assn. team to Orange County, city officials said Tuesday.

At least three groups of investors have expressed interest in the project since Westdome Partnership gave up efforts six months ago to raise money to build a 20,000-seat sports arena near Anaheim Stadium, according to councilmen William D. Ehrle and Fred Hunter.

One group plans to present a formal proposal to the City Council within the next few weeks, Hunter said.

The investors, whom officials would not identify, have connections in the NBA and have the money for the project, the councilmen said.

“We have a liaison committee that is meeting with the groups,” Ehrle said. “Probably we’ll give one of them the opportunity to negotiate with the city. One group has been very actively pursuing it. Down the road, I am looking forward to having an arena in Anaheim with an NBA team.”

The City Council will listen to proposals from all prospective investors and decide whether to sign an exclusive negotiating agreement with one group, according to city spokeswoman Sheri Erlewine.

That decision will be based on the investors’ ability to pay for the project and on which group is more capable of bringing a franchise to the area, she said.