Mayor Ashley Swearengin announced a proposed agreement with the Central Valley Community Sports Foundation (CVCSF) that would give the local non-profit a 25-year lease to operate the Granite Park sports complex in exchange for $2.7 million in improvements and refurbishments.
The proposed agreement will be presented to Fresno City Council for their approval at their next meeting on September 24.
CVCSF’s proposal includes the complete refurbishment of the three amateur baseball fields and the addition of a major league-sized baseball field, complete with irrigation, fencing, turf and lighting.
The Foundation also plans to build a restaurant with patio and viewing area, along with new basketball and volleyball courts, and walking/jogging paths that would all be open to the public.
CVCSF will assume all maintenance, security, repair, landscaping and associated costs for the premises.
The agreement calls for the City of Fresno to pay the foundation $150,000 a year for 10 years to help with programming, staffing and maintenance, but would retain ownership of the land and facilities while shouldering no debt and co-signing no loans.
At present, the City spends $104,000 a year just to provide minimal maintenance and upkeep on the land.
“It’s been a long time coming, but we sincerely believe we’ve found the right vision with the right partners and, most importantly, the right financial plan to turn that vision into reality,” said Mayor Swearengin. “Granite Park is another example of the kind of proactive investment being made in Fresno because individuals like Terance Frazier and T.J. Cox are seeing not only potential growth, but also a great environment to work, live and play.”
The Granite Park sports complex has been closed for almost six and a half years and is in a significantly deteriorated condition because of a lack of maintenance, and vandalism and theft.
CVCSF will provide sports and recreational programming for the benefit of City residents, at no additional cost to the City or City-sponsored users, with softball, baseball and volleyball leagues, sports clinics, and a minimum of 400 hours of After-School
Programming hosted at the Facility per year, with activities to be coordinated with the City’s Parks, After-School, Recreational and Community Services Department.
