In 1964 the Los Angeles Angels broke ground for Angel Stadium (then called Anaheim Stadium), a $24-million ballpark built on 140 acres. The team changed its name to the California Angels in 1965, and the stadium opened its gates for the 1966 season, drawing a first-game crowd of 31,660. A 1979 renovation changed the stadium into a completely enclosed, multipurpose facility, suitable for both professional football and baseball. Angel Stadium has twice hosted the All-Star Game (1967, 1989), and finally hosted a World Series in 2002. The largest crowd in franchise history: 64,406, saw the Angels beat Milwaukee, 8-3, in Game 1 of the 1982 ALCS.

On April 3, 1996, the city of Anaheim and the Angels (then owned by the Walt Disney Corporation) agreed on a deal that will keep the Angels in Anaheim until at least the year 2018. The Angels committed $88 million and the city $30 million to a three-year renovation of Angel Stadium to a more compact, baseball-only facility. The team changed its name to the Anaheim Angels for the 1997 season. The city provides 12,500 parking spaces on site for baseball and the Angels operate the stadium and retain all monies until agreed income thresholds are met. The agreement calls for the Angels to lease Angel Stadium for 33 years (3 for renovation and 30 for operation), but the team has the option to leave after 20 years of operation. Anaheim's plans for a sports and entertainment complex will be scaled back to 40 acres but the Angels agreed to allow the city to build a football stadium next to the ballpark.