Two Anaheim City Council members “urged a different approach” for Angel Stadium discussions than the one Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken laid out in her open letter to Angels owner Arte Moreno. Councilwoman Natalie Meeks on Tuesday said that “she was ‘disappointed’ in Aitken’s open letter,” as “its outline of Angel Stadium ‘deal points’ reflected a ‘go-it-alone approach’ that had served the city poorly in the last round of stadium negotiations.” Councilwoman Natalie Rubalcava asked that the council “schedule a discussion about whether the city should negotiate with the Angels, and if so, what its next steps and strategic plan should be.” Aitken said that she “was acting as ‘spokesperson for the city’ and had cleared the open letter with the city manager and city attorney.” She said that she was “offering her ‘personal opinions’” in the open letter. Meeks’ comment about taking “a ‘go-it-alone approach’ reflected the last round of stadium negotiations,” in which then-Mayor Harry Sidhu “pushed to become the city’s lone representative” in ballpark negotiations. Aitken said that she “had a brief meeting with Moreno” at the Angels’ home opener hours after her open letter was published (L.A. TIMES, 4/9).
Anaheim officials call out mayor’s Angels letter
