Angel Stadium to change cleaning schedule after rat reports

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Aug 16, 2005
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ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Cleaning crews at Angel Stadium plan to change their postgame schedule after food vendors were cited over 100 times for vermin violations in the past two years.

Until now, cleaning crews wouldn't start removing leftover food and garbage from the stands until the morning after a game. Nighttime cleanups could begin as early as Tuesday, said Tim Mead, vice president of communications for the Angels.

An investigation by The Orange County Register found Anaheim to be much more infested than any other Southern California baseball venue.

There were 118 major and minor vermin violations since 2005 at Anaheim. An analysis of Dodgers Stadium and San Diego's Petco Park found a combined total of nine vermin violations in the same time period.

Food safety experts said the violations might be related to Angel Stadium's practice of leaving discarded food on the ground for 12 or more hours after a game. Stadium officials said the time delay was because of a set work schedule for its cleaning staff.

Officials from the city of Anaheim, which leases the stadium to the team, said they planned to discuss the plan and the problem in a closed session Tuesday.

"Our expectations are that Angels baseball will immediately address these issues," city manager David M. Morgan said in a statement released by the city.

Some fans at a Monday night Angels game said they were upset by the report.

"Quite frankly, it's pretty bad," said Kevin Blanchard, a Red Sox fan from Alexandria, Va. "If this was a restaurant, they'd be closed."