Key Takeaways
- Riverside (California) City Council unanimously approved exclusive negotiations for a $200M sports and entertainment complex on 56 acres
- Project includes 5,000-seat expandable stadium, two dedicated community fields for youth programs, and indoor sports facility
- Developer GCS Development plans operational launch by summer 2027 with comprehensive youth sports programming
- Architecture firm LaBella Associates brings experience from 30+ similar sports-anchored developments nationwide
- San Diego Surf Cup generates $120-149M annually with 500,000 visitors and 85,000 hotel room nights, according to local soccer director
- More project details at Northside Project
Proposed Development Centers Youth Programming Around Professional Stadium
Riverside’s City Council unanimously approved an exclusive negotiating agreement with GCS Development for a comprehensive sports and entertainment district on the 56-acre former Ab Brown Sports Complex site. The $200M project includes a 5,000-seat soccer stadium alongside dedicated youth sports infrastructure.
The centerpiece stadium incorporates modular technology allowing expansion to 15,000 seats within the same footprint to meet potential Division 1 USL requirements. The facility will host soccer, American football, rugby, lacrosse, and concerts.
The development dedicates two community fields specifically for youth programs, complemented by an indoor sports facility called “Riverside Sports and Games” featuring gymnasium and racket sports spaces. A separate 25,000-square-foot concert venue called “Riverside Live” accommodates both indoor and outdoor events.
Developer Greg Scott, an 11-year Riverside resident and minority investor in Orange County Soccer Club for nearly two years, described his motivation: “This project did not begin as an economic exercise, it began with a desire to not leave Riverside for Orange County or Los Angeles to find entertainment, concerts, and sporting events.”
LaBella Associates Applies USL-Preferred Design Model
LaBella Associates serves as the project’s architecture and engineering partner. The firm functions as the preferred architect for the United Soccer League and has completed over 30 similar projects nationwide, according to the source materials.
“We think of these stadiums as community hubs,” said Cristian Petschen, who leads sports and entertainment for LaBella Associates. “This project is more than a collection of buildings. It’s an opportunity to create a destination.”
The development integrates 1,148 residential units with 25% affordable housing, retail spaces, a 180-room hotel, and recreational facilities. A central park runs through the development, with all parking consolidated to one side to maintain walkable character.
Stadium design features include distributed sound systems to minimize neighborhood noise impact and lighting technology providing field illumination without spillage to adjacent properties. The facility includes a pitch club facing the street and a stadium club with bar and catering facilities.
Local Soccer Director Cites Tournament Revenue Data
Giorgio Cerboni, Director of Coaching at Milan International Soccer Academy and Riverside resident, provided tournament revenue benchmarks during public comment. He cited the San Diego Surf Cup as generating $120-149 million annually with 500,000 visitors and 85,000 hotel room nights.
“Riverside’s just got to get on the power curve behind the ball. We’ve been talking about this for years,” Cerboni said. “A stadium in Riverside would have huge consequences, both tangible and intangible.”
The project site has remained largely vacant since 2018, when the American Youth Soccer Organization declined to renew its lease due to declining enrollment. Scott noted that “the sports sector has grown significantly as an alternative asset class” and “stadium-anchored, mixed-use developments have become more viable and more attractive in the marketplace.”
Financial Structure Eliminates Municipal Risk During Negotiations
The exclusive negotiating agreement establishes financial protections for the city. GCS Development funds a $75,000 deposit covering all city expenses, including staff time, consultant costs, and legal fees during the 12-month negotiation period. The developer must replenish with additional $50,000 payments when the balance falls below $25,000.
“The whole point of the agreement is there is no cost to the city,” confirmed City Manager Mike Futrell.
Despite organized opposition from UNITE Here Local 11, which sent mass text messages urging the city to “keep public land in public hands,” all council members supported moving forward. Union representative Juan Munoz asked the council to “revise this ENA to include an option for a lease so Riverside can maximize long-term revenue, flexibility and accountability.”
City staff confirmed that both sale and lease arrangements remain under consideration during negotiations. Senior Planner Regine Kennedy explained that “even though the language uses the word acquisition, this is really about how they would acquire rights to develop this property.”
Implementation Timeline Targets Summer 2027 Opening
The process includes extensive community engagement, environmental analysis under CEQA, and entitlement procedures before construction begins. City staff has begun meeting with local soccer clubs and Northside community leaders to gather input.
The community engagement timeline extends through 2025, with construction proposed to begin in summer 2026 and stadium operations launching by summer 2027.
The exclusive negotiating agreement establishes a 12-month framework for negotiations, with one possible six-month extension. The agreement includes performance milestones and exit strategies throughout the development process.
Councilmember Philip Falcone, who represents the Northside area, framed the approval as “saying let’s have a conversation” rather than a final commitment. The project aligns with the Northside Specific Plan adopted in 2020 after community engagement.
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via: Rain Cross Gazette
(Rendering courtesy GCS Development/LaBella Associates)
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