Moreno Says Angels Must Address Number Of Issues At 45-Year-Old Ballpark

Angels Owner Arte Moreno Sunday said that he "has not begun to explore the possibility of building" a ballpark to replace Angel Stadium of Anaheim, and that such a process "would have to start at least four years before a planned opening date," according to Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. TIMES. Moreno said that the Angels "must address a number of issues with the 45-year-old stadium, the fourth-oldest in the major leagues," to keep the facility "up to date and safe." Angel Stadium underwent a $118M renovation in '96, "after the Rams left for St. Louis and the Walt Disney Co. bought the team from the Autry family" (LATIMES.com, 3/27). Moreno: "You build something 40-some years ago, what do you think the structure's going to look like? And we're putting 40,000 people in it every night. ... At the end of the day, it's just like owning a house. You have to replace the roof." Moreno said all of the issues are "fixable" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 3/28).

NO MOVEMENT ON RAYS BALLPARK: In St. Petersburg, Marc Topkin noted there has been "very little public discussion anywhere" about Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg's efforts to "get a new stadium for the Rays in the Tampa Bay area." Sternberg suggested that there has been "some slight progress." But there "seemingly won't be any real movement until either St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster allows the Rays to look at sites outside the city limits, as they've requested, or, conceivably, a plan is presented that works in the city and they accept it." There is a "sense that a clock, somewhere in MLB's New York offices, is ticking." Sternberg: "It seems clearer to me by the day that we're going to be the last man standing. And everything I know, and talking to these guys, baseball is just not going to stand for it anymore. And they'll find a place for me. They won't find a place here though" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 3/27).

NEW LOOK BALLPARK: In Phoenix, Mike Sunnucks reported the D'Backs are "gearing up for opening day of the 2011 baseball season with a number of upgrades and enhancements at Chase Field and a new pricing system for fans buying single-game tickets." The ballpark's retractable roof "has been recoated, painted and adorned with new Chase Field logos," and AT&T and the team "have installed more technology at the stadium to improve Wi-Fi hookups." In June, the D'Backs hope to "add a remote ordering system," allowing fans to "order concessions from their seats and then pick them up via an express line." The D'Backs also have "renovated outfield party suites and added more space by taking out some kitchen and pantry areas." D'Backs President & CEO Derrick Hall said that the team "has faced some challenges selling those party suites in recent seasons, but he's seeing more interest in the revamped boxes" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/25).