Latest Soccer Silicon Valley newsletter (Wednesday, 6/13/12)

Goodsport · Jun 13, 2012

Just got this email :

SSV members –

We are writing to seek your help to support recreational soccer in San Jose.

As many of you are already aware, the City of San Jose is proposing to build four public recreational soccer fields and a field house building adjacent to the Earthquakes’ new stadium and practice field on the former FMC site near Mineta San Jose Airport. The recreational soccer fields will be built predominately with Measure P bond money passed by the voters twelve years ago, in 2000, and will be managed by the Earthquakes on behalf of the City. The four new fields will significantly relieve the severe shortage of recreational soccer fields in San Jose.

The matter will be coming before the San Jose City Council at its afternoon meeting on Tuesday, June 19 at 1:30 p.m., agenda items 5.2, 5.3 & 5.4., with an estimated time of 4 p.m. Staff memo here: http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SoccerSiliconValleyC/ef5ebb20a8/10aa1aae00/b2b3ea5d05. We urge Quakes fans who live in San Jose to show support for the proposal by either speaking at the meeting and/or writing your councilmember prior to June 19. Those who don’t live in San Jose are also welcome to weigh in. (A list of councilmember email addresses: http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SoccerSiliconValleyC/ef5ebb20a8/10aa1aae00/aa8f0df5d9. Please copy SSV President Don Gagliardi on any emails, dpg@robinsonwood.com. Gagliardi will be speaking at the council meeting in support of the project on behalf of SSV.

This project is potentially controversial because the proposal, by placing recreational soccer fields on land originally envisioned for commercial development, will involve less proceeds to the City of San Jose from the sale of adjacent land for development. We believe, however, the soccer fields are important for attracting and retaining residents because they offer recreational resources for residents. Every councilmember would surely benefit from hearing from his or her constituents as to why this project is a very good thing for San Jose.

Some talking points:

(1) As mentioned, this project will significantly relieve the severe shortage of recreational soccer fields in San Jose, a shortage identified by the City’s own Sports Fields Task Force in 2008. The task force report can be found here: http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SoccerSiliconValleyC/ef5ebb20a8/10aa1aae00/ddd3ebcbe8. The shortage is city-wide and pervades every council district.

(2) The project will, finally, enable the City to implement the will of the voters, expressed 12 years ago in passing bond Measure P in 2000, to create a soccer fields complex. This site is the only one identified which is viable for the project, and if it is not passed, there is no alternative site available. Failing to finally implement the project here and now, after a dozen years of flailing in the effort, would constitute an egregious breach of faith with the voters of San Jose and would likely have an adverse impact on future bond measures by reducing the credibility of City officials. The bond vote was city-wide in every council district.

(3) The project will cause the Earthquakes to bring their youth academy from Danville to San Jose, which will benefit youth players, especially underprivileged ones, from every San Jose council district.

(4) Under the proposed management agreement, the management fee the City of San Jose will pay to the Earthquakes to operate the recreational soccer fields will be used by the Earthquakes to subsidize tickets for under-privileged youth in every council district to attend Earthquakes games. Obviously, if the project does not pass, there will be no management fee and no consequent tickets for deserving youth in San Jose.

Thanks for your support of the soccer community in San Jose.

Regards,

SSV’s Board of Directors
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GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

NedZ · Jun 18, 2012

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area...-jose-city-council-consider-plan-youth-soccer

Goodsport · Jun 19, 2012

NedZ said: ↑

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area...-jose-city-council-consider-plan-youth-soccer
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GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

DotMPP · Jun 19, 2012

Goodsport said: ↑

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G
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That map is incomplete. Where is the detail pointing to the "Whiney NIMBYs" centered around the "Ne" of Newhall in the map?

leocal · Jun 19, 2012

a lot of whiney NIMBYs in the article's comments.

athletics68 · Jun 19, 2012

Well they can whine all they want, it passed unanimously. Fields open in 2014 along with the stadium presumably.

Albany58 · Jun 19, 2012

leocal said: ↑

a lot of whiney NIMBYs in the article's comments.
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Not only are they NIMBYs, they're idiot NIMBY's, complaining with no cognizance of the facts.

Goodsport · Jun 20, 2012

"San Jose City Council unanimously approves new soccer complex" (San Jose Mercury News - Tuesday, 6/19/12)

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

QuietType · Jun 20, 2012

Albany58 said: ↑

Not only are they NIMBYs, they're idiot NIMBY's, complaining with no cognizance of the facts.
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They rarely do.

don gagliardi · Jun 25, 2012

http://www.sanjoseinside.com/news/entries/6_25_12_soccer_fields_san_jose_earthquakes_parks/