TITLE:
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ONE YEAR USE AGREEMENT FOR JACK HAMMETT SPORTS COMPLEX WITH UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES (UCLA) FOOTBALL ATHLETICS, FOR 2025 PRE-SEASON TRAINING CAMP
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DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
PRESENTED BY: ALMA REYES, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER
CONTACT INFORMATION: ALMA REYES, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, (714) 754-5099
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council approve and authorize the Acting City Manager to execute a Use Agreement for the City's Jack Hammett Sports Complex for a portion of UCLA’s 2025 Summer Training Camp and related community benefits (Attachment 1).
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BACKGROUND:
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a California public university, has approached the City of Costa Mesa regarding the use of Jack Hammett Sports Complex (Complex) for a portion of their 2025 Summer Training Camp (Camp). Similarly, to National Football League (NFL) teams, UCLA desires to operate a summer training camp to prepare its team for the upcoming season. After exploring various location options, UCLA requested the use of the City's Complex for a portion of their 2025 pre-season Training Camp operations.
Throughout the year, the City reviews Special Events Permits and Use Agreements for many different parks and facilities for non-profit groups, businesses, and individuals. In the past, the City's Jack Hammett Sports Complex has been used for various tournaments, events, and practices.
In 2010, the University of Alabama football team had exclusive use of the site for their preparations for the national championship game that was played at the Rose Bowl. In addition, the Complex hosted the University of Florida State football team in 2014 when they were playing in the national championship game. Both of these teams became the national champions in those respective years.
In 2017, the City entered into a 10-year Use Agreement with the Los Angeles Chargers to conduct their annual Summer Training Camps through 2026 at the Complex at an annual cost of $150,570. The Chargers also invested approximately $1 million into the fields to bring them to NFL standards, among other community benefits. In 2022, the Chargers notified the City that their 2023 Summer Training Camp would likely be its last year at the Complex as they would be transitioning to a new training facility in El Segundo, California.
In March of 2024, the Los Angeles Chargers confirmed they would not be utilizing the City’s Complex to conduct its 2024 Summer Training Camp. The City entered into a 1-year Use Agreement with the Las Vegas Raiders to conduct their annual Summer Training Camp at the Complex at an annual cost of $165,000. The Raiders also made significant investments into the fields to bring them to NFL standards, among other community benefits.
In March of 2025, the Los Angeles Chargers confirmed they would not be utilizing the City’s Complex to conduct its 2025 Summer Training Camp. As the Chargers organization has an Agreement with the City for use of the Complex through 2026, if they choose to exercise the option, the City can only enter into a one-year Use Agreement with another sports team at this time.
ANALYSIS:
The proposed Use Agreement (Attachment 1) outlines the terms and conditions for the UCLA’s use of the Complex. The Agreement includes the following key provisions:
• Use of Fields: UCLA will have use of the Complex for a portion of its pre-season summer training camp from approximately July 30, 2025, through August 18, 2025.
• Fees for Use: UCLA will pay the City $160,056 for its use of the fields which is a negotiated one-year price based on field use rates and the level of community benefits (itemized below), as well as the overall economic benefit to the local community.
• Community Benefits: In addition to the field use rate, UCLA has agreed to the following community benefits:
• Two youth camps for local children (ages 6-14), exclusively for residents of Costa Mesa.
• 500 tickets (250 per game) to the City of Costa Mesa for two UCLA home games in the 2025 season
• Training Camp: UCLA would be allowed to utilize the Complex to support practices during the camp. Details of the training camp dates, and all related information will be coordinated through the City’s Special Events Permitting process, as with all major events at the City. The City will work closely with the community, neighborhoods surrounding the Complex, and other community institutions and partners as needed in the discussions of parking, traffic, and other impacts to ensure that parking and traffic needs continue to operate as smoothly as possible. UCLA will be responsible for the costs related to the development and implementation of all plans and for the rental of necessary equipment. Any requested public safety (Police and Fire) or other City staff necessary to support security, traffic/parking management, or any other activity will be charged per the City’s event rate schedule.
In addition to the community benefits outlined above, the City will also reap the overall economic benefits from increased hotel stays and multiplier effects from a collegiate football organization, thereby increasing the City’s hotel and sales tax revenues.
Since the fields at the Jack Hammett Sports Complex are not used and instead are refurbished during the summer months, no youth sports teams will be displaced during the Training Camp period.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council may elect not to authorize this use agreement. There are no other considerations for alternatives, as no other city facilities could adequately accommodate this use.
FISCAL REVIEW:
The proposed Use Agreement with UCLA for the rental of the City's Jack Hammett Sports Complex for a portion of their annual summer training camp, and related events, would provide the City $160,056 in revenue for the duration of use, and other community benefits. The revenue from this agreement would be deposited into the Jack Hammet Sports Complex Capital Improvement Fund (Fund 417) for future improvements at the Complex, benefitting the Costa Mesa community and youth sports groups that regularly use the facility.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the Agreement as to form.
CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES:
This item supports the following City Council Goal:
• Improve the Quality of Life
• Achieve Long-Term Fiscal Sustainability
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager to execute a Use Agreement for the City's Jack Hammett Sports Complex for a portion of UCLA’s 2025 Summer Training Camp and related community benefits.