The city\u2019s a long way out from making any new big decisions on the stadium\u2019s future. But recent moves could hint at what\u2019s in store.<\/p>\n
In a step forward, city leaders recently jump-started early conversations with state officials<\/a> on how to successfully navigate, this time, future development of the stadium property. In a step back, Anaheim\u2019s mayor is supporting recently proposed state legislation<\/a> that would bring back up the issue of having \u201cAnaheim\u201d in the team name.<\/p>\n So, as the team takes the field \u2014 with a new incoming team president in Molly Jolly \u2014 we take a look at how key off-the-field topics could be part of the 2026 season story.<\/p>\n Q. What\u2019s the relationship between the city and the team looking like nowadays?<\/p>\n A. \u201cI\u2019m really excited to see Molly Jolly take the helm of the organization,\u201d Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said.<\/p>\n Rising from senior vice president of finance and administration, Jolly becomes the team\u2019s ninth president as she succeeds the retiring John Carpino, who has been running the show since 2009 and will throw out the ceremonial first pitch Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve known her for years, and I think she\u2019s gonna bring a fair and measured leadership as the first female president,\u201d Aitken said. \u201cAnd I think as a local volunteer, she understands Anaheim, she understands its residents, and she might bring a new perspective on the need for stronger community partnerships between the Angels and Anaheim residents.\u201d<\/p>\n Jolly will start her new role on April 6.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe are excited to celebrate our 60th anniversary at The Big A and proud to call Angel Stadium of Anaheim our home,\u201d Jolly said in a statement. \u201cIt stands as a place rich with baseball history and unforgettable moments.\u201d<\/p>\n Ahead of last year\u2019s season home opener, Aitken, in an open letter to Moreno,<\/a> outlined her starting points for a future stadium deal, including needing to navigate the Surplus Land Act from the get-go, wanting commitments to having a community workforce agreement and full city access to the stadium for inspections and acknowledgement of Anaheim as the team\u2019s location and partner.<\/p>\n \u201cI never received a response from Mr. Moreno,\u201d Aitken said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not planning on sending another letter again, but my position remains unchanged,\u201d she said. \u201cI still have an open-door policy for anyone that wants to come forward with ideas that are great for the residents of Anaheim.\u201d<\/p>\n As landlord and tenant, the city and the Angels are in conversations every day. But it\u2019s unclear whether the team would make a first move to re-engage after the city killed the last deal.<\/p>\n Q. The city is taking another swing at navigating the Surplus Land Act. How is it going about it this time around?<\/p>\n A. State law requires local governments selling \u201csurplus\u201d property to prioritize affordable housing, including giving such developers first crack at negotiating for the land.<\/p>\n The city and Moreno were well into planning development of the parking lots around the stadium<\/a> with housing and retail, offices and park space when the state said the deal was in violation of the Surplus Land Act. The city argued it was an \u201ceconomic opportunity\u201d deal, <\/a>which another state law allows, and that\u2019s why the Surplus Land Act wouldn\u2019t apply.<\/p>\n Ultimately, city officials negotiated a settlement with the state to spend a $96 million chunk of the sale\u2019s proceeds on affordable housing<\/a> elsewhere in the city to keep the stadium deal moving forward. But then the FBI probe into Sidhu surfaced<\/a>, and the council decided to kill it.\u00a0 Sidhu later pleaded guilty in an agreement with federal officials.<\/a><\/p>\n This time around, the city officials say they are talking with state partners on how to best navigate the Surplus Land Act. Those conversations are preliminary, and city officials are expecting to weave through a complex process \u2014 this is a baseball stadium, after all \u2014 before another sale of the property could even be considered.<\/p>\n The sheer size of the 150-acre stadium, Aitken said, as well as the baseball team\u2019s running lease on the property, could make those conversations tricky.<\/p>\n \u201cSo it is unique, the stadium, under the Surplus Land Act and how we value the land both under the lease or if it was free and clear of the lease is complicated,\u201d Aitken said, adding down the line, the city could hire \u201creal estate professionals to assess the value of the lease of the land, both encumbered and unencumbered.\u201d<\/p>\n Q. Angel Stadium is the fourth-oldest MLB ballpark in the country. As it continues to age, will it need more work soon?<\/p>\n A. The previous sales deal didn\u2019t dictate whether the stadium would be renovated or built new. That question never got answered.<\/p>\n City leaders are awaiting the results of an assessment on the 60-year-old stadium\u2019s condition<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 now expected in late summer or early fall \u2014 which could need hundreds of millions in maintenance and repairs.<\/p>\n \u201cI think once we get the stadium assessment back and analyze what each side\u2019s rules and responsibilities are under the lease, we\u2019ll have to open up those conversations (with the team),\u201d Aitken said. \u201cThat won\u2019t violate the Surplus Land Act because we wouldn\u2019t be in negotiations to sell the property.\u201d<\/p>\n Those future conversations, Aitken said, will be about \u201cmaking sure that everybody, making sure the Angels, have honored their obligations under the current lease. And then we can look at next steps.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOn the city side, at least, the door is open,\u201d Aitken said, \u201cand we\u2019d like baseball to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n Q. What\u2019s the \u201cHome Run for Anaheim\u201d bill proposed?<\/p>\n If the team is staying, Aitken would like to see \u201cAnaheim\u201d legislated back into the Angels\u2019 name.<\/p>\n Assemblymember Avelino Valencia introduced last week the \u201cHome Run for Anaheim Act,\u201d<\/a> which would make an exemption under the Surplus Land Act \u2014 if one were sought for a development of the property \u2014 contingent on \u201cAnaheim\u201d being added back into the team\u2019s name.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe that\u2019s a fair tradeoff,\u201d Aitken said. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to be asking for leniency as to the number of units you\u2019re required to build, I think an appropriate give back to the city and to the fans as recognition of that leniency is to honor the town that built the stadium in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n Moreno changed the team\u2019s name from the Anaheim Angels to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2005,<\/a> shortly after purchasing the team. The city sued,<\/a> arguing the Angels were violating the lease, but a jury sided with the baseball team. By the 2016 season, the team was going by the Los Angeles Angels.<\/p>\n Aitken, last week, asked the city attorney to look into whether dropping the hometown name puts the baseball team in violation of its current lease through 2038 to play in the stadium.<\/p>\n The city has yet to receive a response from the Angels. The team has said the name\u2019s been settled in court.<\/p>\n Q. What can fans expect this year?\u00a0<\/p>\n A. New food and merchandise, and $5 million in stadium improvements, including to the Diamond Club seat areas and the parking.<\/p>\n![\"Visitors](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/OCR-L-ANGELS2026-0403-JG-05.jpg\")
Visitors to Angel Stadium buy tickets for Angels Baseball in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 2, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n![\"Anaheim](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/OCR-L-ANGELS2026-0403-10.jpg\")
Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken gives an upbeat State of the City address on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Anaheim. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n