Angels may fly — to Orem

OREM — Utah County's professional baseball team may uproot from its home in Provo — but the move wouldn't take them very far.

Just to the Orem city line.

According to Orem Mayor Jerry Washburn, bringing the Provo Angels to Utah Valley State College sounds like a wonderful idea, though it remains in negotiations at this time.

That hasn't kept potential sponsors like NuSkin, Neways, Tahitian Noni, Parkway Crossing and Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller from expressing interest in giving money to have their names figure prominently at UVSC's baseball stadium.

"It has to be one of the premier locations in the state, with however many thousands drive by it each day," said Todd Fairbourne, UVSC's assistant athletic director, Fairbourne attended a meeting earlier this summer with city and county officials that addressed the possibility of bringing the Angels to Orem, possibly on a permanent basis.

Washburn also says that talks have been held between the Utah County Commission, UVSC and Orem — but insists that the primary focus of the team remains on funding a Provo stadium.

"We'd be disappointed if there is talk of moving the Angels out of Provo," said Provo spokesman Mike Mower. "We've had a $5.5 million fund-raising mountain to climb to build the stadium and we have covered all but $850,000 of it."

While that figure suggests that more than $4.5 million has been raised, more than $1 million of that amount reflects the monetary value of the land at the Ironton business park where the stadium would be built. Regardless, recent donations nearing the $3 million mark are motivating to team owner Rob Owens.

"We are still hopeful and optimistic that the city of Provo is going to complete the fund-raising that they have been working hard on to do the stadium, and we are still hopeful that it will come to fruition," Owens said.

"Having said that, if for some reason, the city of Provo is unable to fund and build the stadium that we need, we have to look at all of our options," he added. "Since our first option is clearly to stay in Utah County, if there is another city that can put that together, we are certainly open to it."