The City Council unanimously approved an exclusive negotiating agreement with GCS Development Tuesday afternoon for a proposed $200+ million sports and entertainment complex on the 56-acre former Ab Brown Sports Complex site, despite organized opposition urging the city to keep “public land in public hands.”
The ambitious project envisions a comprehensive entertainment district featuring a 5,000-seat expandable stadium, 1,148 residential units with 25% affordable housing, retail spaces, a 180-room hotel, and recreational facilities in the Northside neighborhood. Developer Greg Scott, an 11-year Riverside resident, aims to have the stadium operational by summer 2027.
“This is really a vision to change that,” Scott told the council Tuesday. “A vision to make Riverside a destination in its own right, where we enjoy our city, support our own local businesses and circulate the dollars back in our own community.” The project would complement the nearby $200 million adventure sports complex the city is also negotiating, forming what could become a major entertainment destination in the Northside…