The city council wants two competing parties to work together to
come up with a proposal to operate Morgan Hill’s Outdoor Sports
Center.
The city council wants two competing parties to work together to come up with a proposal to operate Morgan Hill’s Outdoor Sports Center.
Scheduled to vote on the staff’s recommendation to award a contract to operate the center to the Morgan Hill Youth Sports Alliance Wednesday, the council decided instead to wait for more information and encourage the nonprofit to work with the current operator to come up with a proposal that benefits both organizations, the city, hotels on Condit Road, and local youth.
The OSC is a 38-acre complex of artificial and natural turf sports fields near the intersection of Tennant Avenue and Condit Road in southeast Morgan Hill. The CYSA has operated the facility, which the city purchased in 2001, for about 27 years, according to CYSA accountant Margaret Gordon.
The city put the operation of the facility out to bid last year. After reviewing proposals and business plans from three different companies, city staff recommended awarding the contract to MHYSA. Last week, the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission voted 4-1 to support the staff recommendation.
Following that vote, the CYSA sent the city a letter terminating its month-to-month lease contract with the city, as the organization does not think it is a good “business decision” to continue investing money in the maintenance of the fields if it is not going to be the long-term operator.
The city council heard presentations from MHYSA and CYSA representatives Wednesday, as well as public testimony from about 10 local residents, coaches and business owners.
Hotel owners on Condit Road were leery of awarding the contract to MHYSA without more research about the nonprofit’s financial viability, as the facilities currently benefit from weekend soccer games organized by CYSA, which bring kids and families to Morgan Hill from out of town.
But Councilman Larry Carr noted that the fields are not being used to their full capacity now, as they were only booked about 76 percent of weekend days in 2009. If MHYSA can increase the use of the fields, that would bring in even more money to the hotels, he said.
Added Councilwoman Marby Lee, “I still personally have some questions regarding the finances we see here.”
Other councilmembers wanted to be sure the financial risk to the city, in case the staff recommendation fails, is low before they vote on an operator.
“I’d like to get the two groups together and make all the most positive things go forward. All the things like financial risk to the city have to be more thoroughly addressed,” said Mayor Steve Tate.
Furthermore, Carr added he wants to see more numbers relating to hotel revenues from city staff.
MHYSA executive director Jeff Dixon said his organization welcomes the request for the two groups to work together.
“We had always hoped to work with CYSA to find a way to partner,” Dixon said. “The fact they’ve asked us to do that actually fits within our plans.”
The CYSA agrees. “If they want us to sit down and work it out, we’ll explore opportunities for a joint venture,” said CYSA executive director Dave Mann. “If that’s beneficial we’ll take a look at it.”
