ANGELS DEAL IS COMPLETE : DISNEY TAKES CONTROL OF TEAM OPERATIONS.Byline: Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Anaheim Stadium is becoming Disney land. The Angels signed an agreement Wednesday giving the Walt Disney Noun 1. Walt Disney - United States film maker who pioneered animated cartoons and created such characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; founded Disneyland (1901-1966) Disney, Walter Elias Disney Co. 25 percent ownership in the American League American League (AL) One of the two associations of professional baseball teams in the U.S. and Canada designated as major leagues; the other is the National League (NL). team and immediate control of daily operations. ``This is a new challenge for Disney,'' said Bill Robertson Billy Henry "Bill" Robertson (born May 5, 1938) has been the Democratic mayor of the small city of Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, since his initial election on November 6, 1990. , spokesman for Disney Sports Enterprises. ``Our main goal is to compete for the World Series and provide a quality entertainment package.'' Disney has an option to take over full ownership of the team on the death of owner and founder Gene Autry, 88. The agreement followed approval Tuesday night by the Anaheim City Council of a 33-year lease on Anaheim Stadium to Disney. The entertainment giant will pay $70 million to renovate the ballpark. The city will pay $30 million. Next year, the team will play as the Anaheim Angels or the Angels of Anaheim. Major League baseball "MLB" and "Major Leagues" redirect here. For other uses, see MLB (disambiguation) and Major Leagues (disambiguation). Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. approved the arrangement in January, but bargaining was delayed several times over the past months. Jackie Autry Jackie Autry, (born Jacqueline Ellam) the former owner of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and widow of singer, actor and businessman Gene Autry. She is the Honorary President of Major League Baseball's American League, an office she has held since 1999. , who handled negotiations for herself and her husband, threatened to move the Angels after talks broke off in March. Anaheim wanted the renovated stadium to be part of a ``Sportstown'' complex encompassing The Pond, where Disney's Mighty Ducks play hockey, a football stadium and other entertainment venues. The final deal scales back Sportstown, but does leave room for a football stadium in case an NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga team returns. The area was left without professional football last year after the departure of the Raiders and the Rams. ``Big A'' seats that were added for football in 1979 will be removed. The new baseball-only stadium will seat 45,000 instead of the current 67,500. While Disney pays for most of the stadium renovation, it also gets to keep most of the ticket and parking revenue. Opponents of the deal questioned whether the city could recoup its investment. ``It's a good deal - a better deal than we've made in the past,'' Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly said just before the vote Tuesday. |
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