CSUN Considering Sites for New Football Stadium

A committee charged with recommending a location for a new football stadium at Cal State Northridge selected its favorite on-campus site Thursday night--on Zelzah Avenue in what is now Parking Lot C.

But some members of the committee, appointed by CSUN President Blenda J. Wilson, made it clear they still prefer finding a location off campus for the new 12,000- to 15,000-seat stadium.

“As a person who lives here, that’s my first choice--off site,” said neighbor David Jolliffe.

Potential off-campus venues, including Pierce College, will be considered next week, before a final selection is made.

The committee will forward its recommendation to Wilson, who will make the decision.

But there was little doubt that committee members representing the university preferred a stadium on campus.

“As athletic director, I’m not in favor of playing off campus,” Athletic Director Paul Bubb said.

In addition to the stadium, CSUN officials on the committee presented a “green space” plan for locating the other athletic fields--for classes, intramural sports and practice--west of the tennis courts. In this configuration, the baseball stadium would have to be moved north of Halsted Street to make space for the other fields.

About three dozen neighbors of the campus attended the meeting. Many of them were frustrated with the limited authority of the committee, which gave them no voice to restrict the stadium’s size or use. Homeowners are especially worried that CSUN will rent out the stadium for concerts.

“Certainly, it’s not going to be a Bach festival,” said Dick Dardarian, a member of the Lindley-West Coalition of homeowners. “I have a suspicion this is all really a charade.”

Committee chairman David Honda sought to reassure audience members that CSUN “is very interested in having happy neighbors” and not interested in leasing its facilities to concert promoters. “Is that in writing?” a woman in the gallery shouted back.