Angels, City Closer to Deal on Baseball-Only Stadium

The Angels and the city of Anaheim are closer to reaching an agreement in principal that would produce a new baseball-only stadium for the Angels by the 1998 season.

“I’m very, very encouraged,” Angel President Richard Brown said Tuesday after his negotiating session with Jim Ruth, city manager. “Everything is positive right now. Hopefully, it will culminate in mutuality of an agreement.”

Ruth also said Tuesday he was optimistic that an agreement could be reached soon, but he declined to discuss specifics.

Brown said he and Ruth met Monday night and resolved all but three issues standing in the way of a deal; neither Brown nor Ruth would say what issues remain or how a new stadium would be funded. Any agreement would have to be approved by the city council, which is currently undergoing a transition. Two recently elected members of the five-member council will be sworn in next Tuesday, and another has to be elected or appointed.

“Once the stage is finished,” Brown said, “we’ll go to the Autrys (Angel owners) and explain the situation. Once the Autrys say, ‘Let’s go,’ we’ll go to the city council for approval. We’re hoping that can be done by mid-December.”

The Angels have proposed a new 42,000- to 45,000-seat stadium that will be constructed in a lot southwest of Anaheim Stadium, near the corner of Katella Avenue and State College Boulevard.

The Angels, who have played at Anaheim Stadium since 1966, say a new stadium is needed in order to be competitive in the American League. Attendance has declined five consecutive seasons, and they were on pace to draw 1.9 million this year before the Aug. 12 strike--their lowest attendance since 1978 in a non-strike season.

Despite having the lowest player payroll in the American League last season, Brown said the Angels still lost $8.5 million. The mounting loss of revenue has caused the Autrys to seek minority partnership that would require the partner to be responsible for all liabilities until eventually purchasing the club for $130 million.

But if a new stadium is approved, Brown said the club likely would immediately increase its player payroll in anticipation of greater revenues. The Angels have been provided a $24.5-million player budget for the 1995 season which likely would be increased by about $2 million.

Angel Notes

Angel reliever Joe Grahe cleared waivers and was assigned to Vancouver. He has the option of accepting the assignment or becoming a free agent. The Angels also removed Vancouver outfielder Steve Hosey from their 40-man roster.

Times staff writer Matt Lait contributed to this story.