Mayor Harry Sidhu quit while facing a corruption investigation.
You can excuse Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim owner Arte Moreno and Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred of asking what is next after Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu resigned as he was facing a corruption investigation. Moreno was told that the proposed sale of Anaheim’s stadium and the land surrounding the facility would be put on hold while the investigation took place. That investigation will continue despite the Anaheim mayor’s resignation and the hold on the stadium deal could become permanent.
In 2019, Moreno reached a deal to purchase the stadium and the 150-acre plot where the stadium sits for $320 million, with $124 million credited to Moreno. Moreno would build affordable housing near the stadium and possibly put up a new stadium. But a California state housing agency said Anaheim had violated California affordable housing law by not offering the property to housing developers first. Eventually there was a settlement. Moreno could develop the land after the Anaheim city council signed off on the deal. An Orange County Superior Court judge placed a hold on a proposed settlement. An attorney for Moreno wrote a letter to Anaheim saying that Moreno’s company “SRB has met all its obligations and has every expectation that this transaction should move forward, and looks forward to the Council’s final action no later than June 14th, 2022.” Additionally, the letter stated “SRB Management and Angels Baseball have acted in good faith, participated in a lengthy and thorough public review and hearing process, and believe that the benefits of the transaction and the merits of completing it are manifest. SRB Management told Anaheim politicians they better sign off on the deal or else. The resignation of Sidhu changes the stadium game in Anaheim because in all likelihood no deal will be done by June 14th.
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