Amended agreement continues effort to develop regional athletic facility

June 25, 2014

Summary

Council gives unanimous support to adjusted use plan with Eastside Football Club

Story

The work on an East King County sports complex developed for year-round use received a boost with the unanimous support of the Metropolitan King County Council. At its June 23 meeting, the Council approved an amended use agreement with the Eastside Football Club on the construction of athletic fields at Preston Fields and Community Park.

“I’m so pleased that this new step is moving forward,” said Councilmember Kathy Lambert, the sponsor of the legislation and the member who represents the neighborhood where Preston Fields and Community Park are located. “I know the fields that have been completed are used heavily and this new third field will be too. It’s great that we can support our county’s many youth soccer players.”

In 2007, the County Council approved legislation authorizing a 40-year use agreement with the Eastside Football Club (EFC) to develop and manage a Soccer Facility at Preston Athletic Fields and Community Park. Under the terms of the agreement, EFC would develop two synthetic soccer fields, one natural grass soccer field, parking, and related site-wide infrastructure. The County contributed funding for the project through the Community Partnerships and Grants (CPG) program.

Since 2008, EFC has constructed and opened the soccer facility’s two synthetic fields, but was not able to raise sufficient funds to construct the natural grass field. EFC has now raised enough for the third field, but wishes to change the use agreement’s description of the soccer facility to make the third field a synthetic field rather than a natural grass field. The adopted amendment will allow for the construction of the synthetic field at the athletic facility.