Fresh sod is beginning to transform the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex, where work is underway on eight new natural-grass fields. The expansion is expected to increase the complex’s capacity for tournaments and bring more visiting teams and families to the area, according to General Manager of the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex, Jonathan De Anda.
Greenfields Turf laid about 20,000 square feet of sod on the first day of installation on Monday, Oct. 19. The crew plans to continue laying turf over the following weeks with completion estimated in three to four weeks, depending on the weather, according to De Anda.
“The additional fields will allow the soccer complex to host more teams and larger events,” says De Anda. “The expansion will also give local athletes and families more opportunities to attend tournaments close to home instead of traveling outside the area.”
The fields are part of a $3 million fundraising campaign. Taylor Farms pledged to match contributions up to $1.5 million, while other companies, families and individuals have also contributed, including the Kobrinsky Evans family, Cass and Mike Antle, Church Brothers Farms, Janet Rodgers and Kurt Gollnick and Toyota Salinas, according to De Ana.
“These are tournament quality fields,” he adds, describing the project as a way to attract visiting teams and families to Salinas.
The Salinas Regional Soccer Complex recently received $2.8 million in State funding supported by State Sen. John Laird and California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. The State funding is for the next phase of the project, which includes additional facilities, artificial turf fields, more stadium seating, scoreboard and locker rooms, according to De Anda.
“This not only will benefit our players and our families, but also our local business,” De Anda says. “This is a big step for the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex, but also Salinas and Monterey County as a whole and we're very excited about that.”
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