Feature

Development to go ahead despite LA Angels’ protests

Major League Baseball franchise the LA Angels has lost its appeal against plans to develop a 15-acre retail and leisure complex adjacent to its Angel Stadium ballpark.

The complex would be built next to the stadium’s parking lot – which is controlled by the Angels – and would include shops, restaurants, offices, residences and a hotel. The team feels the proposed plans would affect trade at Angel Stadium, with fans likely to visit the complex, and not the stadium, before and after games.

The LA Times newspaper reported that Angels attorney Allan Abshez wrote a letter to the city of Anaheim, claiming the development project would “cannibalise the Angels’ existing food, beverage and retail operations at Angel Stadium” and “fundamentally undermine the Angels’ negotiations to remain in Anaheim over the long term”.

However, the protests fell on deaf ears as the Anaheim Planning Commission voted unanimously in favour of the development.

The Angels and the city of Anaheim had reportedly been in talks over the extension of their stadium lease and negotiations are said to have taken place regarding the construction of a sports-entertainment hotel next to the ballpark.

Randy Jefferson, executive director of project development for LT Global Investment, the company leading the new project, said he would still be willing to work with the Angels on developing their share of the parking lot. “From our point of view, we’d like to partner with them on it,” he said, according to the Times.

The Anaheim City Council is expected to formally approve the new development within the next two months.

 

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