Angels’ delayed spring renovations expected to resume

The renovation of the oldest stadium in the Cactus League was delayed by the potential sale of the Angels, with a new major league clubhouse now expected to open in 2025 and a stadium expansion scheduled for completion in 2026.

In 2021, the Angels and the city of Tempe agreed on a $51-million renovation project at Tempe Diablo Stadium, with the new clubhouse as the top priority.

The city last year planned for a January 2023 groundbreaking, stadium director Jerry Hall said, but the Angels subsequently asked for a hold on construction, allowing any new owner the opportunity to make changes to the project.

With Arte Moreno announcing last month he would retain ownership, the Angels say they are ready to move forward.

“We expect construction to begin in the near future,” Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko said Thursday.

Tempe Diablo Stadium opened in 1968.

Hall said the major league clubhouse and team offices would be relocated to the practice fields west of the stadium, creating more space in the stadium itself. If the city had started construction last month, on the original timetable, Hall said the new clubhouse would have been targeted to open in 2024 rather than 2025.

By 2026, he said, fans would enjoy an expansion of the narrow concourses, new seats in the seating bowl and more space in the lawn, more areas for groups and parties, a bigger team store and a new scoreboard.

The city also is planning to rename the street adjacent to the ballpark, currently known as Alameda Drive, as Angels Way.

When the renovations are complete, the major leaguers and minor leaguers will share the Tempe complex. In the interim, the major leaguers use what was the minor league clubhouse, with minor leaguers set to train in nearby Scottsdale.

“I don’t look at it as a disadvantage,” Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. “If we had to stay in this situation, I don’t look at it as an excuse for us not to be ready to go out of the gate, or to develop players.

“We could be here, and our minor leagues could be in Siberia. If you have good communication and everybody is on the same page, things work. Would it be nice? Sure. Is it the end-all, be-all? Absolutely not.”