Stadium plans for California’s Riverside

Image: City of Riverside

The city of Riverside in California could soon boast a sports and entertainment district and new stadium after the council gave the go-ahead for an an exclusive negotiating agreement with GCS Development.

Youth Sports Business Report said the $200 million project, which will be developed on the 56-acre former Ab Brown Sports Complex site, includes a 5,000-seat soccer stadium alongside dedicated youth sports infrastructure.

The centerpiece stadium incorporates modular technology allowing expansion to 15,000 seats within the same footprint to meet potential Division 1 United Soccer League requirements. The venue will host soccer, American football, rugby, lacrosse, and concerts.

Stadium design features include distributed sound systems to minimize neighborhood noise impact and lighting technology providing field illumination without spillage to adjacent properties.

The facility includes a pitch club facing the street and a stadium club with bar and catering facilities.

The development dedicates two community fields specifically for youth programs, complemented by an indoor sports facility called Riverside Sports and Games featuring gymnasium and racket sports spaces.

A separate 25,000-square-foot concert venue called Riverside Live accommodates both indoor and outdoor events.

The exclusive negotiating agreement establishes a 12-month framework for negotiations, with one possible six-month extension. The agreement includes performance milestones and exit strategies throughout the development process.

Developer Greg Scott, an 11-year Riverside resident and minority investor in Orange County Soccer Club for nearly two years, described his motivation: “This project did not begin as an economic exercise, it began with a desire to not leave Riverside for Orange County or Los Angeles to find entertainment, concerts, and sporting events.”

LaBella Associates serves as the project’s architecture and engineering partner. The firm functions as the preferred architect for the United Soccer League and has completed over 30 similar projects nationwide.

Cristian Petschen, who leads sports and entertainment for LaBella Associates, said, “We think of these stadiums as community hubs. This project is more than a collection of buildings. It’s an opportunity to create a destination.”

The development integrates 1,148 residential units with 25% affordable housing, retail spaces, a 180-room hotel, and recreational facilities. A central park runs through the development, with all parking consolidated to one side to maintain walkable character.

Giorgio Cerboni, Director of Coaching at Milan International Soccer Academy, provided tournament revenue benchmarks during public comment.

He cited the San Diego Surf Cup as generating $120-149 million annually with 500,000 visitors and 85,000 hotel room nights.

Cerboni said, “Riverside’s just got to get on the power curve behind the ball. We’ve been talking about this for years. A stadium in Riverside would have huge consequences, both tangible and intangible.”

The project site has remained largely vacant since 2018, when the American Youth Soccer Organization declined to renew its lease due to declining enrolment.

The exclusive negotiating agreement establishes financial protections for the city. GCS Development funds a $75,000 deposit covering all city expenses, including staff time, consultant costs, and legal fees during the 12-month negotiation period.

The developer must replenish with additional $50,000 payments when the balance falls below $25,000.

City Manager Mike Futrell said, “The whole point of the agreement is there is no cost to the city.”

A community engagement timeline will extend through 2025, with construction proposed to begin in summer 2026 and stadium operations launching by summer 2027.

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