Santa Maria approves $5.5 million in additional funding to push new sports complex closer to completion
Dave Alley
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Maria City Council approved additional funding Tuesday night needed to complete work on the now-under-construction Santa Maria Sports Complex.
According to the city staff report, an $5,530,000 in funding is required to allow the Santa Maria to deliver the long-planned sports park as envisioned, including four multipurpose playing fields, basketball courts, restrooms, playgrounds, trails, landscaping, site lighting, public art, and supporting facilities.
On Tuesday, councilmembers approved the appropriation of the additional funding andthe award of remaining bid alternatives for the project using Growth Mitigation Program funds, which are paid by developers.
“At last night’s meeting, City Council approved some additional funding to help bring home this sports project all the way to completion,” said Dennis Smitherman, Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department Recreation Services Manager. “In addition to the $12.1 million already allocated, last night’s approved additional funding to really bring this project home, so that means when we’re ready to cut the ribbon and that grand opening ceremony, we’ll have everything all completed.”
The city said in a release the funding will specially cover the cost security lighting, restrooms, a playground, landscaping, construction management, change orders and renovation of an existing water well.
While the complex will be available for many different types of sports, it’s soccer, which has by far and away the most participants in the city, both youth and adult, that will utilize the fields.
Currently, the city is lacking sufficient field space to fully accommodate the numerous organizations and teams, along with the thousands of soccer players of all ages.
“Field space is very limited currently in the city,” said Vlahdemir Cruz, Central Coast Surf Youth Soccer Club coach. “One of the biggest things is when it rains, certain facilities end up closing, and then there’s coaches scrambling for space.”
When the new facility opens, it will help alleviate some of the existing strain on the city’s inventory of sports fields.
“More field space means you open the you open the door for more programs,” said Cruz. “More programs means more involvement from the community specifically for the youth. It also it also gives us the opportunity to to grow the adult men’s league. And at this point right now, they’re growing a women’s men, women’s league, which would be a huge. Obviously we’re around the corner from the World Cup, so it is perfect timing. I mean, kids are out through the roof right now and the opening of the sports complex, it’s a huge, huge benefit to the city.”
Construction of the facility is expected to take several more months and the city is planning to open the sports complex sometime in either late 2026 or early 2027.
“This is such a great opportunity not only for our community, but for our region,” said Smitherman. “We’re going to be able to host our much needed, field sports right here, whether it be soccer, football, lacrosse, rugby, but also open it up to the community, on a on a much broader scale and being able to host tournaments that we desperately can use here in the city, as well as inviting outside the community to come play as well.”
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