Two Tustin city councilmembers have let it be known that in the event Arte Moreno’s inquiries into possibly re-locating the Angels to Tustin actually pan out, the city would provide no funding to build a new stadium. From the Voice of OC:
Councilwoman Rebecca Gomez made clear that if Moreno wants a stadium in Tustin, he shouldn’t look to taxpayers for help.
“My preference is” to not use public subsidies for a stadium, Gomez said.
This is a conservative city council in a conservative town. Anyone surprised by this response doesn’t know Tustin. it should be kept in mind that the Angels approached Tustin, not the other way around – and there’s no evidence the Angels asked for a taxpayer-funded stadium in what appear to be preliminary conversations.
Critics of the Anaheim’s negotiation framework with the Angels have jumped on this news as some sort of vindication of their claim that the Angels are basically in a corner and have nowhere to go. I’m not aware of anyone who has said the Angels will move to Tustin or anywhere else. The point is that they have the ability to do so, and are willing to explore other options.
This buzzing hive of critics also point to the Angels foray into Tustin as substantiation of their claim that extending the opt-out for the Angels from 2016 to 2019 opened the door for the Angels to leave Anaheim. Mind you, they simultaneously argue, with great vehemence and certitude, that the Angels absolutely have nowhere else to go and therefore we should be unconcerned about the team’s overtures to other cities.
Well, which is it? Those arguments run counter to each other and can’t be true at the same.
False duality, Matt!
Nope.
Yes!
That’s not the objection. The contradictory choices you frame up aren’t real.
The objection is Arte had no financially justifiable options prior to Sept 1, and of those options, the feasibility of construction (execution) was remote. With the extension, his options become less absurd from a practicality of execution perspective . . . And perhaps less financially stupid . . . But still financially stupid. To put it simply, the majority (in an act of what should be criminal stupidity) handed Moreno a solution to his execution strategy, but not to the business feasibility.
The objection is the council majority sucks at negotiating. We all predicted what would occur as a result of the opt out extension, and here we see the fulfillment of the prophecy.
The objections are complementary, not contradictory. What the quote from Tustin demonstrates is that Arte hasn’t found a solution to the financial recklessness a move would require.
But, I won’t be surprised when Kris Murray and Lucy Kring decide to give Moreno 66 years in the city’s free money bin because he yelled BOO and they got scared. Real stewards of the public trust right there.
Disney is gonna be really pissed when they find out Murray blew all their political capital on a charity drive for a billionaire. If this deal goes through, Disney will be seriously disappointed the next time they ask their neighbors for a tax credit to fund a project. The people won’t swallow this.
Ryan, thank you for implicitly admitting that the outrage and caterwauling over extending the opt-out date was misplaced and disproportionate.
You got that from that?
This is a great idea, as a UCI alum that location is perfect for a ballpark. All his fan base is in South Orange County anyways and this puts the Angels way closer.
There is a deal to be had here for both parties. Tustin can sell him the land for next to nothing if Moreno builds it 100% privately with some kickback on the development of the surrounding area for retail.
Irvine and Tustin have blown up over the past decade and putting the stadium on the Marine Corps site puts it right in between both cities where there is a ton of land.
Of course Tustin would have to pay for the infrastructure (roads and freeway exits) but they would have to do that anyways for housing and retail. Moreno can help with clean up costs of the site.
The devil is in the details but if I am Tustin, getting a free ballpark in this day and age is priceless.