Chargers’ training facility deal goes before Costa Mesa City Council on Tuesday
If the City Council OKs the deal Tuesday, defensive end Joey Bosa and the Los Angeles Chargers will hold their summer training camp at the Jack R. Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa.
Is Costa Mesa ready for some football?
That’s one of the questions before City Council members Tuesday, when they’re scheduled to vote on a proposed agreement that would allow the Los Angeles Chargers to host their summer training camp at the Jack R. Hammett Sports Complex.
The tentative deal, which the Daily Pilot first reported earlier this week, would run for up to 10 years and allow the National Football League franchise to use two of the complex’s fields from mid-to-late July until mid-to-late August.
Fields at the sports complex are typically closed for turf renovation during that period, according to city officials.
The Chargers would pay the city about $150,570 a year to use the fields, with those dollars earmarked for improvements at the complex or to purchase equipment.
The franchise would also make a one-time $50,000 contribution to the city’s mobile recreation program and a $10,000 donation to AYSO Region 120.
Along with prepping the fields each year to make sure they’re ready for training camp, the Bolts plan to upgrade Fields 3 and 4 — the ones they will use — to NFL standards.
The city plans to develop a parking and traffic management plan to deal with potential issues arising from training camp taking place at roughly the same time as the nearby Orange County Fair, according to spokesman Tony Dodero.
The sports complex is at 2750 Fairview Road, about two miles from where the Chargers are developing a new headquarters and practice facility at 3333 Susan St.
New city committees
Council members will also consider creating new city committees.
The Youth Sports Committee would be charged with enhancing local youth sports programs and promoting a robust, safe and engaged youth sports environment.
During a discussion on the concept last month, some residents and council members questioned how such a committee could affect the existing Youth Sports Council — a liaison group formed by the nonprofit Costa Mesa United in collaboration with the city, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and others.
Supporters say the Youth Sports Council brings different groups to the table to help solve potential conflicts and that a formal city committee could inject unnecessary politics into the youth sports world.
Others said creating a committee is preferable because it would be subject to stricter meeting and transparency rules.
Council members will also discuss establishing an Open Space and Recreation Advisory Committee.
Doing so is required under the provisions of the voter-approved Measure Z, which creates a new fee applying to all new development north of the 405 Freeway and west of Fairview Road.
The committee would advise the council on spending the fee money — which would go toward increasing recreation, open space and public parks.
Council members have the option of blending those two proposed panels into one unified Youth Sports, Open Space & Recreation Advisory Committee.
Merging them would decrease the burden on city staff and “allow for broader representation for youth sports and open space recreation activities,” according to the meeting agenda.
A benefit of keeping them separate, however, is that “there would be no confusion pertaining to the intended mission of each of these committees as they were originally conceived,” the agenda states.
Also proposed is a Fairview Park Steering Committee.That body would advise the council on matters pertaining to the park’s master plan as well as the impacts of Measure AA,requires voter approval for a number of changes that could be proposed in the park.
Tuesday’s council meeting starts at 6 p.m. in City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.
Twitter: @LukeMMoney
