Could this be the site of the Angels’ next stadium?
A day after learning that negotiation between the Angels and the city of Anaheim regarding the team’s lease on Angel stadium were at a stalemate, word has gotten out that the club has recently met with Tustin city officials regarding a potential new ballpark.
The team appears to be covering its bases after Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait rejected a deal that would have given the Angels a $150 million stadium renovation allowance and 66-year, $1 dollar a year lease to develop the parking lot surrounding Angel Stadium, citing that the city should be allowed to profit off the parking lot.
The Angels are currently allowed to opt-out of their stadium lease any time between October of 2016 and October of 2019, as long as they give the city 12 months notice. The lease expires outright in 2029.
Angel Stadium is now 48 years old and in need of numerous upgrades. The stadium was last renovated in the late 1990′s under the ownership of Disney. It is currently the fourth-oldest stadium in baseball behind only Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Dodger Stadium, and still features its original plumbing, electrical system, and concrete. Owner Arte Moreno told Mike DiGiovanna that it would “cost between $125 million and $150 million just to keep [the stadium] serviceable.”
The talks are still in its “infancy stages” with Tustin according to Marie Garvey, who was hired by the team to advise them on any stadium issues.
One potential site for a new stadium could be the decommissioned Marine Corps Air Station (pictured above), which is sandwiched between the Tustin Metrolink Train Station and outskirts of Irvine.
Along with Tustin, City of Industry has also been mentioned as a possible destination were Moreno and Co. decide to leave Anaheim.
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