In the three decades since Fort Ord closed, the City of Marina – despite its government still operating out of mobile trailers since it was incorporated in 1975 – has grown along with its population, adding educational facilities such as Marina High School, and more recently, the large-scale Dunes development in its southern end.
“All these things other cities take for granted, Marina has lacked those amenities,” Mayor Bruce Delgado says. “Slowly but surely, we’re clawing back to modernity.”
Near the Dunes, on Second Avenue and Ninth Street, are two former military buildings that were transferred to Marina after Fort Ord’s closure – an indoor pool and gym, the former of which has sat abandoned since 1994, the latter since 2020.
Roughly 20 years after residents voiced their support in a survey for a recreation center in Marina, that facility is close to becoming a reality.
Final designs are nearly complete for the Marina Aquatic and Sports Center, after the city council approved schematic designs for the project in March. On Saturday, April 26 at 1pm, city officials will open the doors of the vacant buildings to the public to gather feedback on what they want to see in the future complex.
Delgado says city officials hope representatives of various sporting groups attend and share what type of space they need for events. These include the roller derby community, which used the gym space for years when it was known as Water City Roller Hockey.
That business shuttered in 2020, and later the building was red-tagged due to various fire code and other violations.
Once anticipated to cost $22 million, the project has ballooned to roughly $41.4 million as costs have increased and features added.
Project amenities include adding a 25-yard competition pool, a 20-yard lap pool, a water play area and volleyball and basketball courts. A two-story building will connect the pool and gym, which will house office space, restrooms, a cafe and more.
A combination of funding will go toward the project, including from the former Fort Ord Base Reuse Authority, impact fees from developers and an $11 million loan from the city’s general fund. The project could go out to bid this summer, with construction starting in late spring 2026.
“It’s important that we build these first-class recreation centers for quality of life,” Delgado says. “It’s also important that we clean up Fort Ord. This is going to be an important step.”
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To safeguard Marina's financial resources, particularly as our nation navigates an uncertain economic landscape, both the City Council and residents must carefully re-examine the past financial analyses conducted for the proposed sports and aquatic center. This due diligence is crucial to prevent the project from becoming a financial burden that diverts essential city funds.
Initial evaluations by the consulting team revealed a promising outlook when considering the sports center as a standalone facility. The analysis projected a positive cash flow, indicating its potential as a self-sustaining investment capable of covering operational costs and funding future maintenance and improvements without straining city finances.
However, the financial viability significantly diminished when the aquatic center was incorporated into the plans. The combined facility projected only a marginal positive cash flow. This narrow margin strongly suggests that any unforeseen increases in operating costs or lower-than-expected revenue would likely necessitate unpopular measures, such as substantial hikes in membership fees or the redirection of funds from other vital city services and projects.
A subsequent proposal to dedicate a portion of the sports center to roller-sports, including a skating rink, further eroded the project's financial feasibility. This addition, advocated partly by enthusiasts from OUTSIDE Marina, resulted in an analysis showing A CLEAR NEGATIVE CASH FLOW, indicating it would OPERATE AT A LOSS and require ongoing subsidies.
These findings underscore the importance of a fiscally conservative approach. While recreational facilities offer community benefits, their development must be guided by realistic financial projections to ensure long-term sustainability and protect the city's overall financial health.
Another disgusting building. Architects need to go to art school. Just cheap eye sores
Jojo bribri, you have the most consistently bad takes in your comments for everything you comment on. Do you produce anything good or positive at all? If you want pretty architecture than you fund it. You're free to do so.
Architecture is a zeitgeist component in our society. Art to one person might not be the same to the next. Not everyone understood or appreciated the work of Frank Lloyd Wright at first; try to think of things differently and you might find joy.
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