Wilson Chooses On-Campus Site for Stadium

Cal State Northridge will build a football and soccer stadium on its North Campus, President Blenda J. Wilson announced Thursday, despite strong opposition from neighboring homeowners who fear that noise and crowds will threaten their quality of life.

In a carefully worded statement, Wilson acknowledged residents’ concerns, but also cited a recent CSUN-sponsored survey that found that 67% of Valley residents support an on-campus stadium. Critics of the survey called it a blatant attempt to manufacture consent.

No timetable was set for the stadium construction.

“We appreciate our neighbors’ concerns about the potential impacts a future North Campus stadium might create for them and remain committed to mitigating any such impacts,” she said. “Equally so, we recognize the strong desires of our athletic administrators, coaches and players, and many others in the broader San Fernando Valley region to have an on-campus stadium.”

In January, a committee, formed to decide whether the stadium should be built on campus or miles away at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, declined to choose. The 12-person stadium siting panel recommended that a stadium be built, but sent both site options to the president’s office, leaving the choice to Wilson.

Robert LoPresti, a member of the siting committee, said his dissenting views were excluded from the pro-stadium committee report recently sent to Wilson. He warned that outraged homeowners might respond with a lawsuit, but such concerns are not likely to sway Wilson, who announced she will leave CSUN in June for an East Coast post.

“She’ll pull the pin, toss the grenade, jump on the plane and say see you later,” LoPresti said.

Administrators have said a new stadium might also hold nonsporting events, such as Fourth of July celebrations and Easter Sunday services.

Wilson said the campus must find private donors to fund the 8,500-seat stadium, which could cost as much as $10 million. But lack of support for CSUN’s 21 athletic programs--which seldom draw big crowds--does not bode well for planned fund-raising efforts.

“The average age of a student there is 27 years of age; most have off-campus jobs,” said LoPresti, explaining the lack of interest in CSUN’s sports. “The stadium is not going to change the dynamics of that campus--it’s a commuter campus.”

In 1997, Wilson cut four men’s sports teams--volleyball, soccer, baseball and swimming--to comply with gender equity laws while easing an athletic department budget deficit. Although the move was widely criticized by the public and the teams were reinstated, attendance at games did not improve.

Administrators say CSUN needs $1.5 million a year to maintain its sports programs; that figure does not include money needed for stadium construction.

Sam Jankovich, CSUN’s interim athletic director, acknowledged lackluster community support, but said he has high hopes for new fund-raising efforts planned for the summer.

“The San Fernando Valley has been waiting for a decision such as this,” Jankovich said. “This will be a source of community pride.”

The stadium proposal arose out of Wilson’s decision to join the Big Sky athletic conference, which required CSUN to upgrade its athletic facilities. The new stadium would include amenities the current stadium lacks, such as proper restrooms, locker rooms, concession stands and a press box.

CSUN will continue to use the existing stadium on campus until mid-2001, when a biotechnology park will be built on the site. When the stadium is built will depend on how quickly the money is raised, administrators said. CSUN would use Pierce College’s stadium if necessary during the construction of the new stadium and the biotech park, they added.

Tom Tindall, director of facilities planning, said the new stadium will be built into a mound of earth 75 yards from the old grandstands.

“The hill is 20 to 30 feet high and extends for about 300 feet from north to south,” he said. “We’ll scoop it out and use the hill mass to shield the neighbors [from noise and light].”

Other arrangements will be made to shield University Apartment residents on the other side of the stadium site, Tindall said.

Before construction can proceed, the university must perform an environmental impact study, which must be submitted to the city, and a feasibility study. California State University Chancellor Charles Reed and the system’s Board of Trustees must give final approval for the plan.