Developer Withdraws Northridge Proposal

Dismayed by a lack of interest from Cal State Northridge administrators and coaches, would-be developer Mark Steele angrily pulled his $90 million arena and stadium proposal Tuesday night at a public forum attended by only nine people.

Steele, rebuffed by Northridge two years ago in an attempt to develop a multiuse arena on the 65-acre North Campus, has tried for months to get administrators to take his new plan seriously. But Northridge President Blenda Wilson circulated a memo last week making clear the university “is not considering [Steele’s] proposal, and has no interest in pursuing it.”

“The university killed this project, turning down $13 million in donations in the process, without asking me a single question,” Steele said. “This project once and for all would have solved all the facilities problems Northridge faces, and in turn, all the athletic department’s problems.”

Steele invited every Northridge coach and several Valley business leaders to the forum, hoping it might generate interest comparable to what the community expressed a year ago when Northridge cut four men’s sports. None of the coaches showed up, however.

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SUMMER VACATION

Columnist Eric Sondheimer is on vacation.