Rams Investment Group Sues City Over Stadium Parking Lot Rights

In the continuing fight over the rights to the Anaheim Stadium parking lot, an investment group including the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday sued the city of Anaheim, claiming it was never allowed to develop the lot as promised.

The group, called Anaheim Stadium Associates, claims in the lawsuit filed Wednesday in Orange County Superior Court that the city has prevented it from building a high-rise office project on the lot. That denial breached the contract the Rams and their associates have with the city, the suit alleges.

The suit also asks the court to prevent the city from terminating the parking lot lease with the Rams and Anaheim Stadium Associates.

Wednesday’s lawsuit is the latest salvo in a costly, decade-old battle over the lucrative rights to the lot among the Rams, the California Angels and their host city, Anaheim. The suit refers to the original contract that brought the Rams to Anaheim in 1980.

As part of the enticement to bring the Rams to Anaheim, the city offered the team and Anaheim Stadium Associates the right to develop a portion of the parking lot. Just before ground was broken, however, the project was tied up in lawsuits among the three parties.

In May, the 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana ruled that the Rams could develop an office complex on the lot near Orangewood Avenue but eliminated another Rams project on the lot near State College Boulevard.