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Public Comment
From:Ashleigh Aitken <ashleigh@ashleighaitken.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October 6, 2020 1:25 PM
To:Public Comment
Subject:Please STOP the Sale of the Stadium
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers-
I am writing to strongly urge you to reverse course on the Anaheim stadium deal. My concerns fall into the
following categories:
Fair Market Value: Local real estate experts have cast doubt that the city is receiving fair market value
for the land. The city should slow down the attempt to sell, and have an independent appraiser reassess
the value of the property given the new plans for development. An appraisal that gives $0 value to the
stadium and the Grove is not an accurate appraisal.
Transparency: This deal was put together outside of public view, with the Mayor as the only
councilmember involved in the negotiations. There were rarely any agendized items in 2019 or 2020,
and the details that were released came during a pandemic, when the city council chambers were closed
to the public. This deal should be reexamined in the light of day and with full neighborhood and
community input.
Developer Extractions: Affordable housing, community parks and schools are all assets that developers
in any other city would offer to get their development deal approved. Why is Anaheim paying for SRB's
developer impacts, when it should be factored into its cost of development, and will, in the end, make its
projects more attractive to end buyers?
Anaheim Branding: While in the end its the owner's right to change the team name after 2005 decision
and the lawsuit that followed, it could have been a bargaining issue to include Anaheim into more of the
Angel's branding. It is a tragedy that the Mayor described the issue as a "distraction."
The foregoing are a few reasons this deal should not go forward. Please reconsider this decision, and start the
negotiations for the sale in an open and transparent manner.
--
Ashleigh Aitken
Of Counsel, Aitken Aitken Cohn
O: (714) 434-1424
ashleigh@ashleighaitken.com
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