Deal Would Make Them Anaheim Angels

Anaheim city officials and representatives of the Walt Disney Co. met again Thursday to iron out details of a 30-year lease for a renovated Anaheim Stadium and appeared to have agreed on the major deal points, including a name change for the tenants.

The California Angels will become the Anaheim Angels.

“Anaheim is a sports city, and we should have the name,” City Councilman Lou Lopez said.

A council majority tentatively agreed this week to a proposal that has the city paying $30 million of a $100 million renovation, which would convert the Big A into a baseball-only facility.

Under terms of the proposal, which is favored by three of five city council members, stadium operations would also be turned over to Disney, which will get virtually all of the parking, concession and gate revenues.

A deal that seemed to be in jeopardy only one week ago, when Disney and the city were at odds over the possibility of another year of football at the Big A, now appears as though it could be finalized before a Disney-set deadline less than two weeks away.

In its agreement to purchase a controlling interest in the Angels, Disney had insisted on the option of walking away from the purchase if it could not reach agreement with the city on stadium renovations and a renewed lease by March 17.

*

Times Staff Writer Robyn Norwood contributed to this story.