Angels, Anaheim Appear Closer to Stadium Deal

It may be too late to save the Rams, but the city of Anaheim is apparently doing everything it can to keep the Angels.

After meeting with City Manager James Ruth and Anaheim Stadium General Manager Greg Smith Wednesday night and Thursday morning, Angel President Richard Brown was even more confident that a deal could soon be struck to build a baseball-only stadium in Anaheim.

“They came up with revisions (to an earlier proposal) and have narrowed the gap, the $4 million (in annual debt service payments) we felt didn’t put us on par with other recent stadium deals,” Brown said. “I can’t say how much the gap has been closed, but certainly enough to bring some optimism. It’s encouraging.”

Brown also revealed a few of the features the Angels hope to include in the stadium, which will seat about 42,000, cost about $215 million and be built adjacent to their current facility.

Among them: At least 11 luxury suites at dugout level, about 70 others on a club level and a tri-level stadium club that will overlook the field and be open year-round. Anaheim officials hope the stadium will be the centerpiece of a retail and entertainment complex that will attract more tourists.

“I’ve seen all the new stadiums, and the one we’ll most likely emulate is (Cleveland’s) Jacobs Field,” said Brown, who has interviewed several stadium architectural firms.

But first, the Angels and city must reach a financing agreement without placing a burden on taxpayers. Anaheim’s previous proposal called for the city to use revenue bonds for $160 million of the project and for the Angels to assume the balance, roughly $55 million.

That deal would have left the Angels with annual debt service payments of $12 million to $14 million. The team believes it can handle something closer to $8 million.

Brown said the city has come up with creative ideas to close that gap. Some ideas previously discussed were a personal seat licensing program, the selling of stadium naming rights, a ticket surcharge and construction of a stadium office building to house Angel employees and include extra space that the team could rent out.

“Both sides want to do a deal. The question is whether it’s the type of deal ownership feels comfortable with,” Brown said. “We’ll take this proposal to ownership, discuss it, then report back to the city.”

For the stadium to be ready for the 1998 season, Brown said the deal must be completed this month. Otherwise, the team, whose current stadium lease expires in 2001, would shoot for 1999.

“Trust me, the Angels will have a new stadium, in either 1998, 1999 or beyond,” Brown said. “That’s why we’re working so hard on this.”

Smith also is optimistic.

“I think we’re very close,” he said. “We’ve really covered a lot of ground to make this happen. We think things have to start happening pretty soon if (the stadium) is to be ready for 1998. We’ll stay up day and night to make it work.”

In related news, Brown said the Rams have given the Angels control of Anaheim Stadium luxury suites, and the Angels have begun to lease them for baseball games.

The Rams had previously retained all luxury box revenue, even on those suites leased only for baseball. Brown said those who lease suites in Anaheim Stadium will be given priority for suites in a new baseball stadium.