Title
[Contract] Grant Agreement with Visit Sacramento funding Due Diligence for Flat Sports Fields at Granite Regional Park [Published for 10-day Review on 09/04/2026]
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FileID
File ID: 2026-01382
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Location
Location: Granite Regional Park, District 6
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution: 1) establishing the Granite Flat Fields Project as a new Multi-Year Operating Project (I18270000); 2) authorizing the City Manager or designee to transfer $442,000 from the available fund balance of the 2006 Army Depot Redevelopment Tax-Exempt Fund (Fund 3803) and $1,158,000 from the available fund balance of the 2006 Army Depot Redevelopment Taxable Fund (Fund 3802) to the Granite Flat Fields Project (I18270000); and 3) authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute a Grant Agreement between the City of Sacramento and Visit Sacramento in an amount not-to-exceed $1,600,000 to fund Phase 1C of due diligence for proposed flat fields at Granite Regional Park.
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Contact
Contact: Jason Wiesemann, Park Plan Design & Development Manager, (916) 808-7634, jwiesemann@cityofsacramento.org, Department of Youth, Parks and Community Enrichment; Denise Malvetti, Assistant Director, (916) 808-7064, dmalvetti@cityofsacramento.org, Economic Development Department
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Presenter
Presenter: None
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2- Flat Field Economic Analysis (2026)
3-Resolution
4-Exhibit A to Resolution - Funding Agreement
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: Sacramento's visitor economy has grown significantly, becoming an important driver of the local economy. In 2025, booked events generated more than 373,233 hotel room nights and an estimated $321 million in economic impact. During the same period, Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) collections increased 36% compared to 2022. This growth reflects strategic investments and long-term planning to diversify the types of events and activities that attract visitors. The region has expanded beyond a visitor economy primarily centered on business meetings and conventions to one that also includes leisure travel, festivals, arts and culture, and sports. TOT revenue is currently projected to reach $42.9 million in 2026.
Sacramento's sports tourism sector has continued to grow with the addition of IRONMAN California and the attraction of major events such as the 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center and the X Games at Cal Expo. However, the region currently lacks the anchor sports facilities needed to attract major regional, state, and national youth sports tournaments.
In 2021, Visit Sacramento commissioned the Huddle Up Group to conduct a sports facility assessment of the Greater Sacramento region and provide recommendations for future facility development. The assessment identified the development of a flat field sports complex as its highest priority recommendation. Such a facility could accommodate not only soccer but also other growing field sports, including lacrosse, rugby, flag football, field hockey, and Quidditch.
Using the Sports Tourism Index, the report provided a comparative analysis of the features a flat field venue would need to ensure it was an “anchor” facility that attracted events required for overnight visitors. Recommendations for a new facility included the following elements on a site of approximately 80-120 acres:
• 24 full-sized fields (mix of grass and turf)
• Lighting for at least 16 fields, preferably on all fields
• Flexible layout with portable goals to serve multiple sports beyond soccer
• Parking that meets industry standards
• Ability for Visit Sacramento to book the facility for tourism driving events
In 2025, Visit Sacramento contracted with JLL to evaluate potential sites that could support the advancing Sacramento’s sports tourism opportunities including an assessment of the feasibility of Granite Regional Park. While the flat fields could be located at other parks in Sacramento, including Natomas Regional Park, funding that is geographically based has been identified to further assess Granite Regional Park.
Granite Regional Park
Granite Regional Park is located within the Fruitridge Broadway Community Plan area, bounded by Power Inn Road, Florin Perkins Road, Jackson Highway, and 14th Avenue. The park occupies the west basin of a former Granite Construction gravel mine, which ceased operations in 1989. Through a public-private partnership, the 84-acre site was redeveloped into a regional park featuring soccer fields, a dog park, a skate park, parking, and other recreational amenities. The initial park improvements, including four soccer fields, were completed in 2006.
Today, Granite Regional Park includes seven full-sized soccer fields-one synthetic turf field and six natural grass fields-and serves as the “hub” for youth soccer in the Sacramento region. The park is home to Sacramento United Soccer Club, a nonprofit competitive youth soccer organization serving more than 1,200 players across over 50 boys' and girls' teams. The club has a Priority Field Use Agreement for the soccer fields and assists with field maintenance.
JLL’s initial assessment of the site identified multiple opportunities for Granite Regional Park to serve as an anchor flat-field complex including:
• It’s a central location.
• As many as 24 fields, with the acquisition of two parcels, one privately owned and the other is owned by Sacramento Regional Transit, for an additional 22 acres that are adjacent to city-owned land, for a total of 70 acres.
• Flexibility for 9v9 configurations, which would allow up to 34 fields.
• The site maximizes land use efficiency by utilizing existing city assets and infrastructure, including power, irrigation, and roads.
• Approximately 1,200 parking stalls are adjacent to the park, with the ability to expand to as many as 2,000 additional parking stalls pending use agreements with adjacent property owners.
• Proximity to regional access, including Highway 50, Route 16, State Route 99, and major thoroughfares including Power Inn Road and Florin Perkins Rd.
• Proximity to public transportation, including the Sacramento Regional Transit Power Inn Station and the Gold Line.
During 2025 and 2026, JLL conducted a series of non-invasive due diligence studies to further evaluate the feasibility of expanding Granite Regional Park. These efforts included a land survey and title report, preliminary CEQA and entitlement strategy assessments, and biological and cultural resource evaluations. As of the date of this report, these studies have not identified any known constraints that would preclude the development of an anchor flat-field sports complex on the site.
To evaluate potential development options and inform future decision-making, Visit Sacramento has conducted stakeholder engagement and completed preliminary due diligence and economic feasibility work related to the development of an anchor flat-field sports complex. These steps have included:
• Facility Audit + Recommendations Report (2021)
• Flat Field Analysis Report (2022)
• Competitive Analysis and Impact Projects Inventory (2022)
• Amendment to the City code allowing for the spending of TOT funds for tourism-related economic development projects through the passing of Measure N (2022)
• Granite Regional Park Phase 1A Site Viability Report (2025)
• Granite Regional Park Phase 1B Non-invasive Due Diligence Report (2026)
• Flat Field Economic Analysis (2026)
• Numerous meetings and stakeholder interviews, including but not limited to local youth soccer and rugby clubs and leagues, national tournament organizers, hotel owners and operators, property owners surrounding Granite Regional Park, Power Inn Alliance, Sacramento Regional Transit, Sacramento Republic FC, Sacramento County Staff, City of Sacramento staff, and elected officials in both the City of Sacramento and the County of Sacramento.
• Continued research, assessment, and analysis of Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) regulations, uses, and growth trends
Community Impact
An anchor flat-field complex provides a civic benefit, in addition to an economic return, by investing in community infrastructure and increasing the City’s inventory of high-quality athletic fields available to Sacramento youth and adult teams.
The City of Sacramento has an inventory of 157 fields spread over 100 parks. Only 10% of these fields are lighted, and 67% of all parks have fewer than two fields. Neighborhoods with the highest concentration of fields include North Natomas, with 37 fields across 21 parks, and South Sacramento, with 30 fields across 21 parks. Only three parks have at least five flat fields - Granite Regional Park (Fruitridge Broadway), Northgate Park (South Natomas) and North Natomas Community Park (North Natomas).
Many local youth and adult sports organizations currently face limited access to playable fields, which requires practices and games to be spread across multiple parks. Several field sports, including rugby and lacrosse, have limited access to public facilities designed to meet their needs. Existing fields throughout the city also vary in condition, and many lack field lighting, reducing the number of hours they can be programmed, particularly during the fall and winter months. The weather has an impact when fields are unavailable due to drainage issues from rain. For teams using school or private facilities, the expense to rent fields can be in the thousands for a single weekend.
By increasing the inventory of high-quality, tournament-capable fields, the project would provide additional capacity for local practices, league play, tournaments, camps, and community recreation while improving access for residents throughout the year. Co-locating fields would also allow families with multiple children to attend practices and games at one location rather than driving between parks.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: Development of an anchor sports facility for youth and amateur sports would position Sacramento to attract additional regional, state, and national tournaments, increasing visitor spending and generating additional TOT and sales tax revenue.
In addition to its tourism benefits, the facility would expand recreational amenities for Sacramento residents by increasing the inventory of athletic fields available for youth, adult, and community sports programs. The project is intended to address the growing demand for athletic field capacity identified through previous planning efforts and stakeholder engagement.
As proposed, project development and ongoing operations would be funded through dedicated project revenues and other non-General Fund sources.
The requested actions support the following city policies:
• Advance City Council’s priority of Economic Development, including the ability to attract investment, support business growth, expand job opportunities and strengthen Sacramento’s long-term economic competitiveness.
• Support the vision and goals of the 2040 General Plan (2025) by directing growth and change into the commercial and transit corridors, building on the city’s existing assets and character, linking projects to access with high-frequency transit, investing in dynamic and beautiful parks, expanding recreational opportunities for residents of all ages, strengthening Sacramento’s role as a regional economic center, and ensuring the just and equitable treatment of all neighborhoods and people.
• Support the Fruitridge/Broadway Community Plan, especially towards the evaluation and expansion of Granite Regional Park.
• The project area is part of the approved Granite Regional Park Planned Unit Development (“GRP PUD”), which was most recently amended on March 22, 2001 (P00-006). The project would develop fields in areas that are primarily approved for or developed with park and field use.
The Sacramento City Code Section 4.04.020 and the City Council Rules of Procedure (Chapter 7, Section E.2.d) mandate that unless waived by a 2/3 vote of the City Council, all labor agreements, and all agreements greater than $1,000,000 shall be made available to the public at least ten (10) days prior to City Council action. This item was published for 10-day review on September 4, 2026, in compliance with the City Code.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: In March 2026, Visit Sacramento contracted Stone Planning to prepare an updated economic analysis of a proposed flat-field sports complex. The analysis was completed in August 2026 (Attachment 2).
Based on Stone Planning's analysis, an anchor flat-field sports complex in Sacramento would generate significant economic activity for the city. Depending on the development scenario, the facility is projected to host between 13 and 23 tournaments annually, attracting approximately 213,000 to 380,000 visitors. Under the study's mid-range scenario, the complex is projected to generate approximately 134,000 hotel room nights, $61 million in annual direct visitor spending, $3.6 million in annual sales tax revenue, and $2.8 million in annual TOT revenue.
Youth and amateur sports tourism is widely regarded as a resilient segment of the visitor economy. Industry data indicate that participation and travel associated with youth and amateur sports have remained comparatively stable during economic downturns, including the 2008-2009 recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. During the 2008-2009 recession, youth sports tourism was the only travel segment that did not experience a decline.
According to the Sports Events & Tourism Association, 63% of U.S. destinations surveyed in 2023 identified sports as their largest generator of hotel room nights. Nationally, youth and amateur sports generate approximately 73.5 million hotel room nights annually and attract more than 200 million athlete and spectator trips each year. Unlike convention and business travel, which is concentrated on weekdays, youth sports tourism generates visitation on weekends throughout the year. Research conducted by the Parkhurst Field Foundation found that an average of 2.14 spectators accompanied each athlete attending one of its four-day tournaments.
Comparable facilities in other markets demonstrate the potential economic impacts of destination sports complexes. The Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Maryland, reported an estimated $25 million in economic impact from 12 tournaments that attracted approximately 52,000 visitors to Montgomery County. Approximately 79% of attendees stayed overnight, with more than half staying at least two nights and 92% utilizing local hotels.
Similarly, WRAL Soccer Park in Raleigh, North Carolina, is a 123-acre complex with 23 fields that hosts more than 2 million visitors annually. In 2025, the facility generated approximately 37,250 hotel room nights. Its Annual Showcase Series attracted approximately 1,600 teams from more than 30 states, generating an estimated 32,000 hotel room nights and $30 million in economic impact.
In San Diego County, Surf Sports Park hosts more than 35 annual events, generating an estimated $120 million in annual economic impact, approximately 490,000 visitors, more than 200,000 youth participants, and over 155,000 hotel room nights. The Del Mar facility includes 24 natural grass fields and on-site parking.
These findings indicate that an anchor flat-field sports complex has the potential to expand Sacramento's visitor economy while complementing the City's existing convention, entertainment, and cultural tourism assets.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): This item is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), because it is an activity that does not involve any commitment to a specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment, as contemplated by Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Sections 15378(b)(2) and is, therefore, not subject to CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3). Environmental review will be completed prior to any physical changes on the Site. That said, the project site has been previously approved for development with a certified EIR on August 6, 1998, with a Mitigated Negative Declaration (“MND”) issued on March 22, 2001, and the GRP PUD partially developed for the use as intended in the form of existing fields and parking, the project intends to tier off previous work as a conservative approach against the understood baseline. The impact studies scheduled in Phase 1C, including but not limited to traffic noise, patron noise, transportation levels of service, cumulative air quality impacts, sports lighting, and additional environmental impacts, including cumulative biological impacts, will help inform the Initial Study.
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Sustainability
Sustainability: The project site offers several opportunities to support the City's sustainability objectives. Its proximity to Sacramento Regional Transit’s Power Inn Station provides convenient access to public transit for residents and visitors, creating opportunities to reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicle travel. The adjacent privately owned parcel includes existing solar-covered parking, which may reduce the need for additional parking improvements. If the project advances through design, sustainability measures and efficient building and site design practices will be incorporated, as appropriate, to support the City of Sacramento's environmental and sustainability goals.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: The proposed award of grant funding will allow for the completion of Phase 1C studies, which will provide the technical information necessary for the City to evaluate the feasibility of the project.
Phase 1C includes due diligence and studies necessary to confirm the viability of the site for the development of an anchor flat-field complex The following tasks are included in Phase 1C:
• Master Planning, Land Use & Title Reports
• Operating Agreement
• Civil Engineering and Landscape
• Aquatic Resource Delineation
• Cultural Survey & Monitoring
• Special-status Plant Survey (ongoing)
• Riparian Wetland Mitigation Survey
• Arborist
• Mitigation Bank Credit Research
• Biological Resource Assessment
• Traffic Impact Study
• Sports and Pedestrian Lighting Impact Study
• Acoustics Impact Study
• Site Logistics
• Agronomist
• Environmental Study & Phase 2 Soil Testing
• Geotech Studies & Research
To support implementation of Phase 1C, Visit Sacramento has assembled a multidisciplinary consultant team led by JLL. The team includes professionals from JLL's Brokerage, Public Institutions, Cost Management, Sports & Entertainment, Master Planning, and Municipal Advisory practices, as well as local firms providing technical studies and due diligence. Budget estimates for Phase 1C are based on the consultant proposals and scopes of work completed to date.
Upon completion of Phase 1C, Visit Sacramento and City staff will return to the City Council with the information necessary to evaluate potential project implementation. Deliverables are anticipated to include a proposed financing framework; updated construction cost estimates; projected operating revenues and expenses; a draft operating and maintenance framework for future procurement; and draft agreements related to the acquisition or lease of any property interests required for the project. Phase 1C is anticipated to be completed within approximately six to eight months.
Completion of this phase does not commit the City to project construction; rather, it provides the information needed for future Council consideration and informed decision-making regarding the project's scope, funding, timelines, location and implementation.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: The estimated cost to complete Phase 1C of due diligence for the proposed flat fields at Granite Regional Park is estimated at approximately $1.6 million. Sufficient funds remain in Funds 3802 and 3803 to cover the cost of these expenditures. Funds 3802 and 3803 are proceeds from the 2006 Army Depot Redevelopment Area bond issuance. The funds had previously been dedicated to a public improvement project that did not materialize due to insufficient funding. These funds must be used in the former Army Depot Redevelopment Area or in the surrounding area so that benefits accrue to the former redevelopment area and must be expended in a manner consistent with the original bond covenants.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
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