"If he is able to self-finance it, I think the idea of a back-to-the future kind of stadium like those that have popped up all over the country would be intriguing," County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said. "It could work."
Yaroslavsky, who acknowledged that he is familiar with Casden's proposal, said he doesn't know how the politics might shake out. But he said: "If there is anybody who can do it, Alan Casden can. I definitely think he can pull it off."
A representative of downtown business interests also endorsed the concept of bringing a baseball park to the urban core.
"Having a baseball stadium in the heart of downtown makes infinite good sense from an urban planning point of view," said Carol Schatz, president of the Central City Assn.
Stadiums have brought street life and investments to Baltimore, Denver and San Francisco, she said. In Phoenix, a new basketball arena built for the Suns in 1996 followed by a new ballpark for the baseball Diamondbacks in 1998 "proved to be an extraordinary revitalization mechanism" for that city.
A likely spot for a downtown stadium, Casden suggested, would be in the vicinity of a four-block area bounded by 11th Street and Pico Boulevard, and Hope and Olive streets. Representatives of Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz said last year that they wanted to build a 64,000-seat professional football stadium on the site, but withdrew their proposal after running into opposition from city and county officials.
A baseball stadium would be smaller, Casden said, and be used far more often than a venue for football; the Dodgers play 81 home games every season. The facility could also share parking with Staples Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center.
"There is clearly the infrastructure surrounding Staples Center to support additional development such as a baseball stadium," said Michael Roth, a spokesman for the arena's principal owner, Anschutz Entertainment Group, which controls the land Casden suggested for a new baseball park.
A modern ballpark with a vertical configuration like PacBell Park in San Francisco or Safeco Field in Seattle would put more fans closer to the action than they are at Dodger Stadium, Casden said. He also would make the stadium smaller, with room for about 45,000 to 50,000 spectators.
"You don't need 56,000 seats anymore," said Casden, referring to the existing park's capacity. "The Dodgers rarely go over 50,000."
