Southeast : CRYING FOUL

A 10-year-old plan to develop a sports complex at El Dorado Park in Long Beach has drawn recent criticism from neighbors of the park.

The complex, set for groundbreaking in March, would bring 14 soccer, softball and roller hockey fields to a 39-acre, undeveloped portion of the park, which lies on the eastern border of the city. City parks and recreation officials say the complex is intended for adult use and would free up other city parks for children’s sports.

Opponents of the proposed complex want the city to find an alternate location. They insist that the complex would bring traffic, excessive lighting and noise to the area. They also argue that a proposal to sell beer and wine at the complex would attract unruly patrons.

But Councilman Les Robbins, whose district encompasses the park, contends that opponents have overestimated the number of potential visitors as well as the project’s impact on surrounding residences.

Opponents “have got [supporters] thinking we are going to build the Superdome in this park,” Robbins said. He added that using almost any other site could delay the project indefinitely because of the high cost of purchasing undeveloped land.

A county bond measure has set aside $6.2 million for the park. However, Robbins wants the City Council to consider allowing a private company to build and manage the park so that the city can spend the county money on other city parks. . . .