Angels to get spring training upgrade, agree to stay in Tempe through 2035
The oldest ballpark in the Cactus League is getting a facelift beneath its halo.
The Angels agreed to extend their lease at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Arizona through at least 2035, part of a memorandum of understanding approved Thursday by the Tempe City Council. The memorandum outlines the framework for a lease extension.
The extension would include a $50.9-million renovation of Diablo Stadium, which opened in 1968. The Angels would pay $10 million, with the city responsible for $40.9 million and the team liable for any cost overruns. The city also would pay up to $700,000 to upgrade lighting so the Angels can play night games.
The renovation includes a three-story team headquarters, including a major league clubhouse and team store, which could open as soon as next spring. The plans also include improvements to the cramped seating bowl and the installation of a 360-degree walkway around the ballpark.
Shohei Ohtani’s cartoon-like feats for the Angels have stunned the baseball world, but it’s very similar to the comic book world that influenced him.
The Angels would pay $500,000 per year in rent, with that amount rising by 1.8% each year, and keep all concession revenue, 80% of ticket revenue and 65% of advertising revenue. The Angels also would donate $150,000 per year to a local charity, and the city would agree to rename a street adjacent to the ballpark “to reflect the Angels brand, such as Angels Way.”
The lease extension would bind the Angels to Tempe for spring training through 2035, with options to play there through 2045. The team previously agreed to extend its regular-season tenure in Anaheim though 2050, with options to play there through 2075.
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
