How important to Mayor Tait is re-signing the Anaheim Angels for 20+ years? For members of the Anaheim City Council and the Angels, negotiations to achieve a new lease agreement have not been a surprise. Let’s review Tait’s substantive comments about the lease in his State of the City addresses since 2011.
January 2011: Zilch.
January 2012: The Angels signed two new players–Albert Pujols and pitcher C. J. Wilson. I know I’m not the only one in the room who is excited for spring training.
February 2013: I’d like to join Angels Baseball in welcoming Josh Hamilton to Anaheim. . . . He joins a stellar line up, including the American League Rookie of the Year, Mike Trout, and Albert Pujols.
January 2014: Even though we didn’t make the playoffs, the team drew more than 3 million fans and provided plenty of excitement. One highlight . . . was Mike Trout hitting for the cycle.
No doubt about it: Mayor Tait’s highest priority has been effecting a new lease agreement between the city and the Angels—and the reason he pitches this topic during each annual State of the City speech.
—Hugh Glenn
Skadoosh!
Hey now, Hugh! Are you really being fair to Tom Tait? After all, it was Tait who said back in 2012:
“As a sports fan, I know the value a professional sports team adds to a region.”
Oh wait. That’s what he said about the Sacramento Kings. After he failed to bring them to Anaheim.
Indeed! How many times during 2011 and 2012 did we hear Tait say “I’m confident Anaheim is getting an NBA team this year!” Does anyone doubt that if Curt Pringle had still been mayor, Anaheim would have closed that deal? And before Zenger and Cantor start gnattering, no tax dollars would have been necessary to do it.
“Does anyone doubt that if Curt Pringle had still been mayor, Anaheim would have closed that deal?”
Maybe. And what would that have cost us to have a bunch of grown men running up and down the court in their underwear.
Hugh,
Just out of curiosity, what would be an appropriate comment for a lease that doesn’t expire for another two decades?
It seems rather odd that you’d expect the Mayor to encourage the Angels to exercise their early exit clause.
Looking forward to an explanation.
Much obliged,
RC
[The portions of this comment consisting of petty, gratuitous, non-pertinent sniping have been edited out; consequently, there was nothing of substance or worth remaining.]
That is generally the case with Zenger’s commentary.