Anaheim Stadium May Be Rebuilt for Baseball Only : Sports: Disney chief says option is among many under study. Second venue for football might then be possible.

Walt Disney Co. Chairman Michael D. Eisner hinted Wednesday that one of Disney’s first acts after taking over the Angels might be to scrap plans for a new, baseball-only park in favor of renovating Anaheim Stadium.

“We’re looking at all sorts of options on how to deal with Anaheim Stadium,” Eisner said at the opening of Disney Ice, a community skating rink in downtown Anaheim. His appearance at a news conference was one of few since Disney agreed to buy part of the Angels and expressed interest in acquiring a National Football League team. “Obviously the options are new stadiums, renovated stadiums, depending on what happens with football. . . . We are looking at what would happen if you simply renovated the stadium for baseball.”

Discussions about renovating Anaheim Stadium are serious enough that Eisner said he is conducting a small “architectural competition” for plans to restore the stadium as a baseball-only facility, instead of the two-sport stadium it has been since the Rams moved there in 1980.

The Angels and the city of Anaheim were in serious negotiations earlier this year to jointly build a $215-million, baseball-only facility to replace 29-year-old Anaheim Stadium. But talks took a different course after the May announcement of Disney’s agreement to purchase 25% of the Angels from owners Gene and Jackie Autry and take over day-to-day operations. The agreement is awaiting approval from baseball owners.

“The Autrys had indicated a preference for a new baseball stadium,” Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly said. “When Disney joined the Angels organization, they launched an analysis of that, as you’d expect.”

Renovating Anaheim Stadium would cost about $60 million by one estimate, but costs could range from $30 million to $100 million. The work could include demolishing the outfield seats that were added to enclose the stadium when the Rams moved there, upgrading seats and luxury suites, and building a restaurant and new concession areas.

“I think it’s a viable alternative,” said Tony Tavares, president of Disney Sports Enterprises and Eisner’s likely choice to oversee the Angels. “But you have to look at whether or not it can be renovated to be an A-plus or A-minus facility, and if can it be done substantially cheaper than building a new one. Another question is whether the renovations can make it look different enough that the fans’ perceptions are that it is different.”

As for the prospects of Disney acquiring an NFL team--increasing its interest in professional sports to three teams--Eisner cited league rules against corporate ownership. “We’ve expressed to the NFL we’ll cooperate in any way we can to enhance football in Southern California, particularly in Anaheim,” he said. “I think the mayor also has had conversations along those lines, but who knows what’s going to happen.”

Although Eisner told CNN’s Larry King earlier this summer that any Disney team would play in Anaheim, he stopped short of that Wednesday, mentioning Los Angeles County as another possibility.

“Disney is committed to Orange County. That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t do something elsewhere,” he said. “We do things all over the country and that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t do something in L.A. County. The tent pole of our company really is in Anaheim and in Orange County. We’re happy with the Mighty Ducks in Orange County and we’re happy to be associated pending the approval of baseball with the Angels.”

However, Eisner’s discussion of Anaheim stadiums in the plural seems to be an indication of his strategic mind set.

“I think what he’s saying is he’s making an assumption that at some point football will return to Anaheim,” Tavares said. Asked about a possible timetable for a response to its queries to the NFL, Eisner said: “It’s not our domain. The Disney company doesn’t control the NFL, the owners control the NFL.”

A decision to renovate Anaheim Stadium for baseball could enhance the city’s efforts to secure an NFL team. If Anaheim builds a brand-new, baseball-only facility it will severely handicap its ability to lure an NFL team, because either an expansion team or an existing team would almost certainly insist on a new, football-only arena.

But if the city merely renovates Anaheim Stadium for baseball, there might be resources to build a second stadium for football. Mayor Daly said the city has discussed a football-only stadium with Disney “just a bit.” Eisner, asked if Anaheim might renovate Anaheim Stadium for baseball and build a football-only facility, said, “I don’t know, that’s certainly a possibility,” before deferring to Daly.

For now, the emphasis is on the Angels’ home. City Manager James D. Ruth noted that there are no negotiations with Disney about financing any stadium project because approval of the Angels’ sale is still pending. Tavares said a vote by major league owners is unlikely before Oct. 31.

Ruth said the city supports the idea of renovations.

“That is one idea we think is very viable and we’re willing to sit down and take a look,” he said. “They have talked to several architectural firms and expended a lot of time and energy. They seem to feel the most practical thing is probably to renovate.

“It may make a lot of sense. We’ve got to look also at what we do about football should we be able to get a football team.”

Daly, who remembers riding to the original groundbreaking for the stadium on his bike, also supports the idea.

“The fact is, Anaheim Stadium was built as a baseball stadium in the mid-1960s. It was a great baseball stadium when it opened. It’s still a great stadium, with some remodeling. Pro football is not here. Pro baseball is. You put your thinking on accomplishing what’s on the front burner.”

Times staff writer Elliott Teaford contributed to this story.

* ICE RINK DEDICATED: Eisner says facility symbolizes Disney’s link to Anaheim. B2