Speaking of Traffic, Conference Causes Tie-Ups on the 57

A sold-out conference featuring multimillionaire Donald Trump, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and motivational speaker Anthony Robbins drew a crowd of more than 16,000 people to the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim on Tuesday, causing traffic headaches for morning and afternoon commuters.

Morning traffic on the Orange Freeway was stalled for miles in both directions because of the crowds, and the California Highway Patrol issued a traffic advisory, Highway Patrol Officer Michelle DiMaggio said.

The Anaheim Police Department sent extra traffic control officers to the area.

“Everybody was trying to get to the same place at the same time,” Anaheim Police Sgt. Joe Vargas said. “You can only put so many people in the same place. It was an inconvenience.”

The Pond, home to hockey’s Mighty Ducks, is built to accommodate more than 17,000 people. The heavy traffic congestion Tuesday was caused by scheduling, officials said. Usually, events attracting big crowds, such as games or concerts, take place in the evening and do not significantly disrupt traffic, Vargas said.

The all-day event, titled “Peak Performance for the New Millennium,” ended shortly before 6 p.m., causing traffic tie-ups for afternoon commuters.

Trump, who is considering running for president as a Reform Party candidate, spoke in Anaheim as part of a California tour, visiting the Museum of Tolerance at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles earlier in the day.