Plan for Sports Complex May Face New Legal Hurdles

New hurdles could trip up Long Beach’s plans to build a sports complex in El Dorado Park.

In a draft court order delivered to City Hall late Thursday, opponents of the complex presented demands that the city reassess the controversial plan and consider alternative sites.

A Superior Court judge requested the order last week after ruling that plans for the 39-acre complex had changed substantially since the project’s original environmental review in 1990.

The judge said he wants to hear comments from long Beach before he signs the final order that could require a supplemental environmental impact report.

City attorneys said they could not immediately comment on the draft order. They have two weeks to propose revisions to the document before it returns to court for the judge’s final approval.

Neighbors of the secluded park in northeast Long Beach and the City Council had agreed to support the complex in 1991 as an adult venue that would free up park space for children in other parts of the city.

But before the City Council gave final approval to the $7.6-million complex in January, residents argued that the fields, rinks and pubs would disturb the park and draw too much traffic to surrounding streets.

Save the Park activists also say that the city’s plans for the complex changed for the worst when a private company was called in to operate the concessions and serve alcohol. They further objected that they were not consulted about the addition of a hockey rink and other facilities.

A representative of the city attorney’s office said the city has already begun answering opponents’ concerns by preparing a supplemental environmental review. She did not know when the review might be complete.

But an attorney for Save the Park said the draft court order also asks the city to consider building the park somewhere else. The group has proposed the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, which will close next year, as a possible location.