Ballpark at College Gets Conditional OK

In their first show of support for plans to build a baseball stadium at Saddleback Community College, trustees of the college district have voted to approve in concept a conditional lease with Mission Viejo.

The agreement would allow the city to begin the first phase of a $6-million stadium project--installation of a new field and lights--to let the Long Beach Riptide play next season in South County.

Trustees on Monday also instructed district officials to bring back a formal, one-year lease with Mission Viejo for action.

Team President Pat Elster was encouraged by the trustees’ 5-1 vote in closed session, but said the district must take one more step and finalize the interim agreement before the team will commit to moving.

“I guess you can say that I’m conditionally happy,” said Elster, who faces a Dec. 31 deadline to notify Long Beach of the team’s intent to move. “We’re rounding third base, but we’ve got to make it home with this deal in a short time.”

The City Council is scheduled to discuss the issue and hold a formal, binding vote on the contract tonight.

Trustees say they are aware of the team’s time constraints but need to see a contract before they commit to an interim agreement.

“We like the idea of having a stadium for our baseball team and for events for our college,” Trustee Steven J. Frogue said. “But we want to do what is right. We are going to move cautiously on this.”

However, if district officials bring a contract back before the end of the year, Frogue said he would support holding a special meeting to vote on the interim deal.

The key to the conditional lease is a requirement for the city to pay for an environmental study of the ballpark plans.

If trustees don’t like the conclusions of the environmental report, which will take six to eight weeks to complete, they can walk away from the project and keep about $800,000 in improvements called for by the interim lease.

However, Elster and Mission Viejo officials say they believe the study will turn out positive.

The city is confident enough to consider installing a new playing surface on the field where the college baseball team plays, adding lights and temporary bleachers and providing $15,000 for general maintenance.