The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim say they are not in discussions about the possibility of moving the team to the City of Industry.
The Los Angeles Daily News recently reported that the team and city had been in preliminary talks on a move. The report was based on an unidentified source said to have close ties to government officials in the San Gabriel Valley city.
Angels Chairman Dennis Kuhl told the Los Angeles Times that no talks have been held.
The Angels’ lease at Angel Stadium, owned by the City of Anaheim, is up in 2016, when the team would have to either move or renew its lease until 2029.
Angels owner Arte Moreno has indicated he would make a decision on whether to move the team before the end of 2013.
Speculation about a possible move of the team also cropped up several months ago and centered on downtown Los Angeles, where a new football stadium is on the drawing board. Talk of an Angels move also prompted speculation about a second, baseball-only stadium there.
There also is a proposal for a football stadium in the City of Industry, which is seen as competition with the downtown plan.
The downtown plan is from Anschutz Entertainment Group, and a recent move to put the company up for sale has led to speculation about the proposal, which has not been fully approved by city officials in Los Angeles.
The City of Industry plan is from Majestic Realty Co.
Both the AEG and Majestic Realty proposals are based on hopes of landing a National Football League team to the area.
Majestic Realty now appears to be lagging in the competition to host an NFL team but would be willing to adjust its proposal for a baseball franchise.
Majestic Realty said in a statement, issued in response to the Daily News report on the Angels, that it remains committed to a football stadium in the City of Industry.
