Long Beach may have struck out with the Los Angeles Angels, but city officials plan to take another swing at developing the site that had been proposed for a new stadium.

Major League Baseball’s Angels announced Dec. 4 that the team would remain at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, its home since 1966. The team cut a deal that will keep them in Orange County through 2050.

Long Beach had been courting the Angels to build a new stadium at a 13-acre site, known as the “elephant lot,” east of the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. The Ringling Bros. Circus had used the site to house their elephants while performing in Long Beach. 

“We’re really excited about the possibilities of what could happen there,” said Linda Tatum, director of the Long Beach Development Services Department. “It’s a very attractive site for the city. We are hoping to get something down there that could work with what is already there.”

Tatum said there have not been any proposals yet for the site. But she said she is hoping for development that will be good for both locals and tourists. Her goal is to develop the site prior to the 2028 Summer Olympics.

“We think that with a really, really aggressive project on the elephant lot, it will completely reposition that entire area,” Tatum said. “We are looking forward to working with a developer to reimagine that site.”

Redevelopment of the lot also has the support of at least some local residents. Jim Goodin, president of the Ocean Residents Community Association, said the site had the “potential to be one of the most beautiful beach areas or water areas in Southern California.”

Goodin, whose home overlooks the site, added that he hopes it will be something “resident friendly” and not too loud.

“There are a bunch of us who have been discussing with the city for three or four years now about taming down the loud entertainment that goes on back there,” Goodin said, adding that the parking lots are often used for concerts and events. “Anything that would make it more difficult for them to have loud entertainment back there we would be in favor of.”