San Jose Soccer Complex Foundation
’s offer to buy land in San Benito County accepted
It appears as though Morgan Hill’s days of hosting regional soccer tournaments will soon come to an end.
An offer on 170 acres of land in San Benito County by the San Jose Soccer Complex Foundation was accepted this week, according to Dave Morton, the foundation’s president.
The nonprofit group, which has hosted regional soccer tournaments in Morgan Hill at the fields on Condit Road for years, had sought to build a new facility north of Sobrato High School with $980,000 in help from the City’s Redevelopment Agency. However, negotiations with the City of San Jose, the owner of the land in question, were unsuccessful and the group began looking at other options in South County and San Benito.
Morton told the Times the impasse was due to San Jose’s refusal to allow the foundation to build permanent structures on the site and the city wanted to give local residents priority to use the fields.
Before the deal is final, however, the San Jose Soccer Complex Foundation has 90 days to conduct feasibility studies, Morton said. These can include looking into the traffic impact, environmental issues and zoning regulations.
“It’s been a long road to get to this point. Now we have a lot of work to do,” Morton said.
The foundation hopes to build 24 to 26 soccer fields on Highway 25 near Shore Road in San Benito County, as well as some permanent buildings. The complex would draw people for youth league soccer games from throughout the region – and even the nation – 45 weekends per year.
“It’s envisioned right now as a complex used for league play as well as tournaments,” Morton said.
Much like the sports park currently under construction just south of Luchessa Avenue in Gilroy, Gilroy officials believe a regional soccer complex just 10 miles southeast of the city will serve as an economic boon for Gilroy.
“I do think it’s close enough to have a positive impact on our lodging and restaurant industries,” said Kirstin Carr, director of the Gilroy Visitor’s Bureau. “Even when the economy (goes south), people still travel to sporting events, especially for their children. When people come to town for a soccer game, they’re looking for a place to stay and eat.”
The Morgan Hill City Council has expressed dismay over losing the foundation and the tax and tourism dollars it brought to the city over the years. Morton has said he appreciated the city’s help in trying to make the new facility by Sobrato High School achievable.
“We’re disappointed in their decision and their efforts to pursue the Sobrato site,” said Councilman Greg Sellers. “We don’t believe there was a good faith effort on their part to really pursue it, but the decision has been made. I believe we should continue to look at other opportunities for the Sobrato site because there continues to be opportunities out there.”
Before any turf can be laid at the new site, the SJSCF needs to start raising the $7 to $8 million needed to fund the initial construction of the complex. For now, the group continues to lease the Condit fields from the city, which will eventually be home to a new outdoor sports complex. The first phase of the facility is slated for completion by the spring of 2007.
The SJSCF, an offshoot of the California Youth Soccer Association North, was formed in 2003 to find a new place for the soccer association to hold games and tournaments.
Staff Writers Rose Meily and Serdar Tumgoren contributed to this story.
Luke Roney is a staff writer. Reach him at (831) 637-5566 ext. 335 or at [email protected].
