Angels Hope for a Change in Anaheim Stadium Lease

Jackie Autry, executive vice president of the Angels, said Friday she is unsure where it will lead but hopes to open negotiations with the city of Anaheim soon on a lease extension at Anaheim Stadium or revision of the terms in the current contract, which expires in 2001.

Autry said she recently received a letter from Mayor Tom Daly--motivated, perhaps, by the possible loss of the Rams--in which he said the city would like to explore an extension.

Autry said she hoped talks could begin by the end of February. That’s when an appellate court is expected to rule on the 10-year legal battle between the city and team on plans formulated between the city and Rams to build office structures and a high-rise parking garage in the stadium parking lot.

Autry said Friday that the team would not stay if those plans go forward.

“We have had casual conversations with other cities in Orange County and are receptive to any proposal that would put us in a baseball-only facility,” she said “We don’t want to move, but Anaheim Stadium has become out of date from a baseball standpoint. Even when we draw 40,000, and we’re happy to draw 40,000, it looks half empty.”

Autry also said that any lease extension would have to include major changes from the current terms. The Angels receive half of the parking revenue and 60% of the net profit from concessions. They receive nothing from the luxury suites except a commitment by the Rams to buy a modest number of tickets. Their rent is 7 1/2% of the revenue from the first 2 million admissions and 10% of the revenue over that. They also pay a fee on each admission to finance the stadium staff.

Future negotiations, Autry said, will be based on leases the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians have received in their new stadiums.

“Pittsburgh has the worst least in baseball and we have the second-worst,” she said. “There has to be changes for the Angels to be competitive, but I don’t know how receptive the city will be.”

Daly said the city was only trying to get an early start by offering lease negotiations at this time. Asked about the possibility of stadium renovations, he said, “Under the right circumstances, anything is possible.”

He said he did not anticipate the Angels leaving, because Anaheim and Orange County remain “a great sports market.”